Scouting Jacobs boys basketball
Jacobs Golden Eagles
Coach: Jim Hinkle (14th year at Jacobs, 230-165; 30th high school season overall, 425-377; career total, including six years at ECC, 504-487)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
2009-10 record: 8-19 (4-6 FVC Valley)
Top returning players: Connor Conzelman (So., 6-1 F), Matt Ehrhardt (Sr., 6-2 G), Nick Hofman (Sr., 6-3 G), Vytas Jaras (Sr., 6-7 C), John Kowalski (Sr., 6-1 F), Mike Peterson (Sr., 6-3 PG), (Sr., 5-11 G), Collin Richman (Sr., 6-1 G)
Top newcomers: Jamal Brooks (Jr. 6-0 G/F), Brad Cleveland (Jr., 5-8 G/PG), Alex Glover (Jr., 6-4 F), John Holbrook (Jr., 5-8 G), Will Schwerdtmann (So, 6-3 F)
Season outlook: An anomaly. A one-time deal. An aberration. That's what the Jacobs boys basketball program considers last year's nightmarish season. The plan went off the rails in the summer and never got back on track due to suspensions and injuries as the Golden Eagles slumped to an 8-19 finish. But it's a whole new season and this team hopes to return Jacobs to the top of the Valley Division. “I certainly think we're back to where we were for the last decade,” Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle said. “Our motto is ‘We're back' because we view last year as a blip. The previous 10 years we went 176-77. It happens. There were a lot of factors to overcome last year and it took us until mid January until we got going. I think we're back in that mode of being competitive every time we take the floor, so teams would be wrong to overlook us. If things click, we'll be good. I'm really encouraged by what I've seen in workouts this fall and I'm looking forward to it. Of course, I'm always the wrong person to ask because I think we're going to win them all.”
Point guard Mike Peterson enters his fourth varsity season in the best shape of his career. He has been preparing for the season with a sense of urgency, Hinkle said. Shooting guard Nick Hofman returns after ACL surgery. Before he was injured 11 games into his second varsity season, Hofman was averaging 13.5 points per game. Peterson and Hofman are this team's captains. Sophomore Connor Conzelman worked his way into the lineup as a freshman and has improved the most of any player in the program because of his dedication in the weight room, according to his coach. Senior guard Matt Ehrhardt is a big guard who can shut down shooters. He'll be asked to contribute more on the offensive end this season. Hinkle is impressed by the development of sophomore Will Schwerdtmann (6-3) and Alex Glover (6-4), both physical post players who hit the boards well. Kowalski will likely start with Conzelman in a double low-post, Hinkle said. How many wins should Golden Eagles fans expect? “We're just preparing hard for now,” Hinkle said. “There will be time enough for counting when the dealing's done.”