EMILIO PARKS and his Lakeside teammates will open against four-time defending Northeastern Conference champion Harvey on Saturday night at Lakeside Gymnasium. WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon
BOB ETTINGER Star Beacon
Published December 05, 2008 03:32 am - A lot will be different in the boys basketball realm during the 2008-09 season. But, in some cases, a lot could stay the same as it was last season.
Where the boys are 2008-09 season tips off tonight
BOB ETTINGER Star Beacon
A Bob Ettinger column...
A lot will be different in the boys basketball realm during the 2008-09 season. But, in some cases, a lot could stay the same as it was last season.
Players graduated, coaches moved on. Young men who played fringe roles a year ago will be asked to step into spotlight. Teams such as four-time Northeastern Conference champion Harvey, Madison and Perry, that have good portions of last season’s rotations back, will be expected to live up to or surpass the success of recent years.
Others, such as three-time Northeastern Athletic Conference champion Pymatuning Valley and Riverside, have lost star players to graduation and will look to succeed while retooling.
All the while, the rest of the area’s teams will be trying desperately to claim a home among the elite.
Gone from local hardwoods are six of the top seven scorers from the Star Beacon’s coverage area. Pymatuning Valley lost Steve Savel and Corey Shontz, both 1,000-point scorers, and Riverside lost area scoring leader Alex Sullivan.
The area’s leading returning scorer is Edgewood’s Jarod Artman, who was fifth a year ago with 17.8 points per game. He also checked in with an average of 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
Joining Artman as top returning scoring threats will be Madison’s Dan Heidenreich (15.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks), Grand Valley’s Anthony Oscar (14.5 points) and GRA’s Jared Gershen (13.7 points, 3.5 assists, 2.8 steals) who were eight, ninth and 10th, respectively, in the area a year ago.
NEC
Harvey has controlled the NEC championship for four seasons. Talented players have come and gone, but the team finds a way to win. If coach Tim Starkey and his troops are to win a fifth straight title, they will have to plug the gap left by the graduation of leading scorer and rebounder Rayshawn Journigan.
Seniors Wes Paramore (6-1 G), Lionel Jordan (5-8 G) and James Spikes (5-9 G) are the only lettermen back from a team that was 15-9, 8-0 last season.
“We do have some people with varsity experience,” coach Tim Starkey said. “Wes was able to play with the varsity team the last two years and James and Lionel played a lot of minutes for us. We’ve got a nice mix of juniors to go along with the seniors. They work well together.
“(The junoirs will) help give us depth and make up for our lack of size.”
MEDICAL DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED Seeley Medical, a respiratory services company, has a full-time opening for a medical delivery driver to setup home resp...>MORE
Dispatcher Needed in a fast paced busy environment. Must be available for various shifts. Apply within City Taxicab, 1753 West ...>MORE
ASHTABULA AREA CITY SCHOOLS BUSINESS OFFICE
CUSTODIAN, LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL 2nd Shift, 2nd Floor, 2:00PM - 10:00PM ...>MORE
QUALITY CONTROL Earn up to $100 a day. Evaluate retail stores. Training provided. No exp req. Call 877-218-6203....>MORE
Direct Care Staff Residential Treatment Center Hiring part time direct care staff. primarily evenings & weekends. Must be able to pass bac...>MORE
NURSING - LPN Full-time position in a 20 bed residential facility serving the MR/DD population. Apply in person: The Gables, ...>MORE
DRIVERS WANTED DEDICATED ROUTES Consistent Home Time $1,100 per wk./avg. Health + 401k Class-A-...>MORE
PRODUCTION - FIBERGLASS Production - Fiberglass Must be able to transfer shift with short notice Recent verifiable fiberglass exp...>MORE
CLERICAL Collections $12-15/hr Customer Service $10-15/hr Office Asst $10-1...>MORE