Team: Clarkson/Leigh
Mascot: Patriots
Colors: Red, Blue, Gray
Class: D-1
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Jeff Bachman (1st season)
2016-2017 record: 3-20 (lost to Walthill in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 3
Overview:
The Clarkson/Leigh Boys Basketball Team returns 3 starters from last year's 3-20 squad. 1st year Head Coach Jeff Bachman. "Anthony Bruhn was last year's team leading scorer. He averaged just over 10 a game. The small forward about 6'0, 6'1, is a very good driver to the hoop and a very good defensive player. He's very long limbed so he's kind of a half winger on the ball. He's going to be one of our captains. And another returning starter was Haden Held. He was the team's starting point guard last year. He averaged about 5, 5.5 a game. So he'll be doing most of the ball handling work for us. He's a very good set shooter. And then the other returning starter was Garrett Schroeder, who was a shooting guard. He averaged just under 7 points a game last year."
Others expected to contribute are include Jacob Gall (6'0, SR PF), Lance Paprocki (5'4, FR PG), and Tommy McEvoy (6'1, FR PF), who is out until at least mid-to-late January with an injury.
Bachman says the kids have been great to work with. "I am very excited for the challenges of this upcoming season. We have a great group of kids to work with, who are fun to be around and work very hard. We will find success as we learn to defend at a high level and execute in all aspects of the game."
I think there's a good mix of upper and underclassmen on this year's team that should allow the Patriots to compete at the highest level possible.
Clarkson/Leigh competed well much of the season last year, but couldn't quite get over the hump most nights.
The Patriots will look to keep things at slow pace, and play a half court offensive game.
It will probably take some time to win a lot of games, but I think Clarkson/Leigh will put a competitive team on the floor this season.
I'm interested to see how well the Patriots adapt to a new coach.
Bachman has been the assistant coach for the Clarkson/Leigh Girls the last 4 years, and was the Head Boys Coach at Loup County at one time as well, and he's a Leigh native, and he says things have gone well between him and the kids so that's a good sign.
The Patriots have to get pumped, psyched, jacked, and fired up every time they take the floor this season.
Clarkson/Leigh must play with a lot of purpose and must attack the basket at every opportunity.
Taking high percentage shots and getting to the free throw line will be critical for this team, in my opinion.
Season Outlook:
Clarkson/Leigh hopes to be better this season. Bachman says this team prides itself on defense. "One of our biggest focuses is going to be here is we're going to be a great defensive team. That's one of the things we focused on in practice. We're going to try and play a physical style man-to-man defense. We want to be the best box out and rebounding team in the state, and that's something that we truly worked at to get good at."
The Patriots gave up 50 or more points 17 times last season.
Bachman added that scoring may not come easy for the Patriots this year, but they're really looking to get after things defensively.
You win championships by playing great defense, and great defense is something I think these kids can really hang their hat on.
Clarkson/Leigh has struggled to stop people in recent years, but I look for that to change this year and in the future.
There's a good mixture of tough and winnable games on the schedule for the Patriots.
Just looking at the schedule with the naked eye...I'd say there's at least 5 or 6 teams on the schedule Clarkson/Leigh should have a legit shot to beat.
And that's not including the Holiday Tournament, East Husker Conference Tournament, and Sub-Districts.
Walthill will probably be pretty tough to beat in Sub-Districts as will GACC probably, but I think the Patriots have a chance to do something in the postseason if they're on top of their game and playing their best basketball at that time.
Clarkson/Leigh opens up the season on December 1st at home against Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. Bachman says his team figures to learn a lot about themselves facing a tough opponent like the Bulldogs."They got some big kids. They got some real athletic kids. Ashton Dohmen is a very good basketball player. So we're going to have a good challenge that first night here. It's going to be a good measuring stick for us right out of the gate to see where we're at. See if we're somebody who we can be towards the top of the conference here, or if we're a middle level team."
Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family won 66-26 last year.
I really think there's a lot of potential and ability with this team. The Patriots have to go out every night believing they can win.
Clarkson/Leigh has to expect to win, and play with a winning mentality each and every time they take to the floor this season.
2017-2018 Clarkson/Leigh Patriots Boys Basketball Schedule:
12/01/17 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/02/17 @ Madison
12/05/17 Oakland-Craig
12/07/17 @ Winside
12/08/17 @ BRLD
12/14/17 @ Pender
12/16/17 @ Howells-Dodge
12/19/17 @ Yutan
12/28-12/29 (To Be Determined) Shelby Holiday Tournament Shelby
01/06/18 Tekamah-Herman
01/12/18 @ Humphrey St. Francis
01/16/18 @ Elgin Public/Pope John
01/18/18 Twin River
01/19/18 Lutheran High Northeast
01/23/18 Wisner-Pilger
01/27-02/03 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/06/18 @ Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
02/08/18 Stanton
02/16/18 @ David City
Team: Clarkson/Leigh
Mascot: Patriots
Colors: Red, Blue, Gray
Class: D-1
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Matt Murren (5th season) (30-62 record)
2016-2017 record: 9-13 (lost to Pender in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 4
Overview:
A lot of hype and excitement surrounds the Clarkson/Leigh Girls Basketball Program this year. Head Coach Matt Murren says that's due to almost all of last year's team coming back. "Good thing is we only lost one senior off last year's squad. And we've pretty much returned everybody else. So we're looking here we've got 4 starters back. A couple of kids off the bench that were in our rotation. So we've got quite a few kids back, which is very exciting. A lot of them have starting experience, varsity experience."
Returners include 5'4 Junior Point Guard Kaegan Held, 5'9 Sophomore Guard Ashlynn Novotny, Junior Guard Halee Steffensmeier, Juniors Beth Wiese (5'8 F), Sara McEvoy (5'6 F), Paige Moore (5'8 F), and Sophomore Kim Stodola (5'7 F) off the bench.
Murren adds his squad will look to be better on offense. "The Patriots have an opportunity to be a very successful team this season as they return 7 players in their rotation. Most of the rotation has started or played significant minutes since their freshman season so varsity experience for this group is a positive. Will look to apply full court pressure that will lead to a transition offense creating points. Guard play with Held, Novotny, and Steffensmeier will allow the Patriots to have options to push the ball. Although lacking height, Moore, Wiese, Stodola, and McEvoy are all capable of scoring around from post positions. Shooting has been an emphasis for the Patriots, who look to continue to improve in that area."
Scoring was an issue for the Patriots last year as Clarkson/Leigh eclipsed the 50-point plateau just 4 times.
The good news about that is the Patriots are already a solid defensive team so a lot of the emphasis and practice can be on offense.
The more these girls shoot and believe in themselves, the more successful they will be.
They can't be afraid to put the ball up if they're open.
Clarkson/Leigh has to shoot with confidence whenever they release the ball this season.
You won't win a lot of games not putting the ball in the hole, but if the Patriots can discover themselves offensively they should have a great season.
This team knocked off Twin River and Stanton last year, and went to state in Volleyball, so it's not like they're strangers to knocking off giants and having success.
Clarkson/Leigh has to go right at it with the tough teams on their schedule, and attack the basket relentlessly against them.
The Patriots have to take the fight to everyone on their schedule, and be the aggressor on offense and defense.
Season Outlook:
Clarkson/Leigh figures to be among the top teams in the East Husker Conference this year given the amount of talent they return. Murren says he's excited to see how his team fares in conference play. "We hope as a coaching staff and we see ourselves as being one of those teams that could compete. We'd like to try to make some noise in the East Husker Conference, and see what we can do when it comes tourney time there towards the end of January, beginning of February, and see what could happen then."
Murren says beating Twin River and Stanton last year, and making State in Volleyball, has built their confidence.
I really like how the Patriots' schedule sets up this year.
I think Clarkson/Leigh has a great chance to run the table, and win anywhere from 15-20 games in the regular season.
I think the Patriots will have similar success to what they had in Volleyball.
It should be a great season for Clarkson/Leigh.
Clarkson/Leigh figures to be tested in Friday, December 1st's opener against Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family though. Murren says the game is a big opportunity for his program, who plays a lot of games early. "We have that busy beginning of December. We play 9 games there in 19 days so it's a very busy time. And we have Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family to start. And it's going to be a game where our kids can gain some confidence if we can come out and do some good things. They've got some height with the (Allanah) Beller girl, they've got some speed with the (Brittney) Veik girl. And it's one of those games where we hope that we will be ready to rock and roll. And the kids will be excited. The home opener is always a lot of fun. And if we can start ourselves on the right foot right away it will be great for us to get on that path. And we hope we're able to do that."
The Patriots fell 48-34 to the Bulldogs last season.
I look for this year's game to be much closer.
I think Clarkson/Leigh can definitely win, but it won't be easy.
Coming off a long Volleyball season complicates things too.
The thing the Patriots have to remember though is it's a long season, and so one loss, one defeat, isn't the end of the world, and can't result in numerous others.
Clarkson/Leigh must have a quick memory after every loss, and must enjoy the wins when they get them, which I think will be often this year.
The Patriots are in Sub-District D1-4 with GACC, Pender, and Walthill so it will be interesting to see what happens there with that sub-district.
There's a long ways to go before that though. For right now, Clarkson/Leigh should focus on winning games and having a great regular season.
Season Outlook:
12/01/17 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/02/17 @ Madison
12/05/17 Oakland-Craig
12/07/17 @ Winside
12/08/17 @ BRLD
12/12/17 @ David City
12/14/17 @ Pender
12/16/17 @ Howells-Dodge
12/19/17 @ Yutan
12/28-12/29 (To Be Determined) Shelby Holiday Tournament Shelby
01/06/18 Tekamah-Herman
01/12/18 @ Humphrey St. Francis
01/16/18 @ Elgin Public/Pope John
01/18/18 Twin River
01/19/18 Lutheran High Northeast
01/23/18 Wisner-Pilger
01/26-02/03 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/06/18 @ Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
02/08/18 Stanton
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