The Herald, Sharon, PA



BOYS BASKETBALL
SEASON PREVIEW: JAMESTOWN

2002-03 SCHEDULE
Dec. 2 -- Commodore Perry
Dec. 3 -- at Villa Maria Academy
Dec. 5 -- Cambridge Springs*
Dec. 6-7 -- at Tidioute Tipoff tourney
Dec. 10 -- at Saegertown*
Dec. 13 -- Lakeview*
Dec. 17 -- at Cochranton*
Dec. 20 -- at Linesville*
Dec. 28 -- at Commodore Perry
Dec. 30 -- Greenville
Jan. 3 -- at Conneaut Lake*
Jan. 7 -- Union City*
Jan. 10 -- Maplewood*
Jan. 14 -- at Conneaut Valley*
Jan. 17 -- at Cambridge Springs*
Jan. 21 -- Saegertown*
Jan. 24 -- at Lakeview*
Jan. 28 -- Cochranton*
Jan. 31 -- Linesville*
Feb. 4 -- Conneaut Lake*
Feb. 7 -- at Union City*
Feb. 11 -- at Maplewood*
Feb. 14 -- Conneaut Valley*
[* = FCVC contest]
By The Herald Sports Staff

Time was, Jamestown boys' basketball teams were competitive -- annually. Now first-year Muskies' mentor Rich Marshall is asking for time.

"It's going to take some time, it's not going to happen overnight," Marshall mused. "But if they continue to progress the next couple months like they have the first couple weeks ... "

Marshall said the Muskies more than held their own in a scrimmage against Reynolds and noted, "If (the Muskies) come out and play hard and play together good things will happen, and that was indicated in our first scrimmage."

However the 2002-03 Muskies are carrying an albatross: A 78-game French Creek Valley Conference losing skid, prompting Marshall to forecast his club "will be near or at the bottom until we prove we can win a conference game."

That could change, however, pending the status of 6-foot-3 senior forward Josh Slozat, who injured a knee in a second-week practice. If Slozat recovers, Jamestown's rotation and depth will enable 6-5 Joe Herrmann to either post up or play the point, contingent upon the opponent and situation.

"Potentially, he's one of the best kids in the conference," Marshall maintained regarding Herrmann. "He can play. He's a good athlete."

Rebounding will be the club's strong suit, led by Herrmann, Slozat, 6-2 senior frontliner Mark Swannell, 6-1 junior Brandon Brooks, 6-2 junior leaper David West and 6-0 junior Josh Flowers. Senior Justin McClure, at 5-10, can play both guard spots, while another pair of 5-10 guards, Ian Anderson and Chris Wingard, a junior and sophomore, respectively, will lend depth.

Early on, Marshall projected McClure, Wingard, Brooks, Slozat and Herrmann as his starters.

"Strengths?" Marshall rhetorically asked. "Rebounding, our work ethic, depth, and I was going to say size."

Marshall noted 6-6 Neil Ward chose not to play basketball, 6-2 athletic Joe Albert sustained a preseason injury that could prevent him from playing, and guard Jim Piroga transferred to Greenville.

Weaknesses, according to Marshall, will be "ballhandling and inconsistent perimeter shooting.

"The kids have been very receptive in terms of work ethic, and solid in terms of attitude," Marshall reported. "They've grasped much more (in a short period of time) than we anticipated in terms of our teaching them an offensive and defensive system and terminology. And they've demonstrated pretty good camaraderie (compared with the past), I'm told."

The former Thiel College head coach attributed that, in part, to good senior leadership. Also, he said he had 18 players (grades 9-12) reported to preseason practice.

Marshall admitted he continues to learn about the FCVC, so he hedged when asked to assess the top teams, instead deferring to the past.

"The last time (Jamestown) won a conference game, our seniors were in the seventh grade," Marshall said. "So our conference will indicate our progress since we play twice (home-and-home series). We'll see how much we improve from one game to the next.

"But I'm pleased with our work-ethic and the commitment to build a winning program," Marshall continued. "Our skill development is a direct result of the work-ethic, and they've developed individually as well as a team. As far as competitiveness, time's going to tell.

"But ability dictates potential and attitude dictates performance," Marshall mused, concluding, "and individually and collectively, our attitudes have been exceptional." -- By Ed Farrell, assistant sports editor.



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