Boys basketball: Scouting Hersey
Hersey
Coach: Steve Messer (fifth year, 61-54; 14th yr overall, 201-177)
Last year: 16-12, 7-3 (T2nd East)
Key losses: Connor Miklasz (all-area G, 13.6 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.5 rpg, 45 3s), Tom Sutrinaitis (all-area F, 11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Returning players: Seniors Justin Jobski (6-2, F, 11.2 ppg), Trevor Haas (6-2, G, 5.9 ppg, 20 3s), Vuk Vukovic (6-1, F), Stefan Vucicevic (6-4, F, 5.3 ppg), Sean Reszotko (6-0, G, 10.5 ppg, 22 3s), Joe Mailloux (6-3, F), Frank Kalble (5-11, G), Jared Martin (6-0, G), Kevin Kozil (6-1, G, 15 3s), Joe Perkins (6-1, G).
Newcomers: Juniors Connor Waters (5-11, G), Alex Sutrinaitis (6-0, G), Quinn Orlandi (6-4, F), Danny Clancy (5-9, G), Nick Heeren (6-0, G), Niko Poulos (6-0, F), Mike Sauer (6-0, G), Ricky Lelito (6-2, G); sophomore Mike Fuerst (6-5, C)
Outlook: The experienced Huskies hope they are ready to take the next step to challenge once again for the East title they just missed a year ago. "We're not shying away from the fact we want to do it but no one has beaten Prospect yet and they have the best kid back," Messer said of Mike LaTulip. "The positive thing is we have a lot of kids with some experience but the negative things is we lost two critical pieces in our center and leader and a true point guard." Messer hopes the latter role can be filled by Kozil and Haas, who was cleared to play a week before the season started after surgery on his pitching arm this summer. "Kozil sees the court really well and Trevor brings stability," Messer said. "Trevor is gritty and he always seems to make a tough shot or a big shot." Jobski also brings a competitive toughness inside to get what Messer called "14 points and 10 rebounds a game on sheer will," and Vucicevic plays bigger and stronger than his size. Reszotko is a skilled shooter and Vukovic will help after missing most of last year with a knee injury. Martin, Mailloux, Kalble and Orlandi give the Huskies depth. "They're working pretty hard and it's an athletic group," Messer said. "We'd like to run with an athletic team and we have a lot of kids who can handle the ball, but it's just who is going to play point guard and be a vocal leader and run an offense."