Scouting Burlington Central Rockets

Burlington Central Rockets

Coach Brett Porto (1st year)

Conference Big Northern (East Division)

Last year 12-14, 6-4 BNC-East

Top returners Seniors Steve Hall (6-2, G), Stephen Kaynish (6-4, F), Shane Larkin (6-2, F), Matt McCurdy (6-0, G), sophomore Ray Hunnicutt (5-11, G)

Top newcomers juniors Thomas Fitzgerald (6-1, F), Sam Klein (6-1, F), Jared Moxness (5-10, G)

Outlook The Rockets have a new coach in 2003 alum Brett Porto and returning starters in Larkin, McCurdy and Hunnicutt. Larkin was a unanimous all-Big Northern-East and an all-area selection last year after averaging 14.4 points and 4.6 rebounds a game last year. He is the area's leading returning scorer. McCurdy (9.9 ppg.) is a three-year varsity guard and Hunnicutt (8.5 ppg.) started last season as a freshman. Central is thinking big in 2009. "We have a lot of athletes," Porto said. "If we can play with energy and enthusiasm - and that lies on my shoulders to get that out of them - I think we can do some special things. A lot of it will depend on what we're able to do defensively, if we're able to use our athleticism and guard people how we want to guard them and put them in situations they don't want to be in. We'll see how we mix together as the year goes on. Our big three are going to have to carry the load, and I expect as they go we'll go. But how you play together as a team is always critical in high school basketball." Hall and Klein will likely be in the starting lineup, but an eight-man rotation will fuel the defensive pressure and as many as 11 players will be used depending on the situation. "We're going to pressure teams," Porto said. "That's the plan going into the season, pressuring teams in unique ways and we'll see what we need to adjust as a team as we go game to game."