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Ivey-Jones fills in blanks for Woonsocket hoopsters |
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Wednesday, 17 December 2008 |
By TERRY NAU
Sports editor
WOONSOCKET – Last year, Kyle Ivey-Jones coached a Woonsocket High team that seemed destined for the state finals from almost the opening day of the regular season.
Last year’s team featured three players to die for: 6-foot-6 center Mike Akrinola, 6-foot-5 forward Mike LaPlante and 5-foot-10 guard Antjuan Jones. Woonsocket had size in the middle, speed enough to operate Ivey-Jones’s run-and-gun offense, and toughness to defend the basketball at the other end of the floor.
Of those three core players, only Jones returns this year. Akinrola now plays for Rhode Island College and LaPlante transferred to St. Andrew’s School in Barrington as he hopes to chase down a Division I college hoop scholarship before he graduates.
Jones is joined in this year’s backcourt by Lee Vazquez, who turned into a solid No. 2 guard for Woonsocket last year. Akinrola has been replaced by 6-foot-8 senior Nathan Geter, who is slowly working his way back into basketball shape after undergoing shoulder surgery last winter.
Ivey-Jones is left to fill in the pieces around this year’s core players. The third-year Woonsocket coach installed Semir Hasukic and Wilfredo Olmeda as his starting forwards in last Thursday’s season opener, a 74-35 romp over Ponaganset, but quickly turned to key reserves Tron Griffth and Isiah Scurry and saw those two make an immediate impact.
Ivey-Jones, who has compiled a 36-18 record over his first two seasons at Woonsocket, enjoys the challenge of molding a new team every season.
“Each season is going to be fun for me because I enjoy coaching,” the former URI player admitted. “If I didn’t have fun coaching, I wouldn’t be doing it. The fun part for me is getting the kids to learn my system, to have fun playing the game, and to become involved in our program.
“The easy part is having some veterans back,” Ivey-Jones added. “We have nine guys on the team who played last year. Four of the nine have been in the program since I started coaching here. I don’t worry about those guys. The new kids, I have to get them to understand the style of basketball we want to play.”
That style involves playing tough defense, forcing turnovers and deflections, pushing the ball up the floor and getting a quick shot if a good one presents itself in transition. That’s where Jones and Vazquez excel with their speed, ballhandling and aggressive natures. Tron Griffth, a transfer student from Charlestown, Mass., looks like he will be a third part of the guard system, a player good enough to make Ivey-Jones consider running a three-guard offense for portions of every game.
“At this point in time, I know I have seven legitimate players who deserve to get playing time,” Ivey-Jones admitted. “Lee and Antjuan can make things go. Tron is improving and gives us another good guard who can handle the ball. Isiah Scurry has shown he deserves to get minutes. He can rebound and is willing to get into the trenches (under the basket). I’m looking to get a couple other players some minutes, too.”
James Suber and Jose Merced are two football players who can give Woonsocket a physical presence when needed. Even better, they can help Ivey-Jones use nine players in a game instead of seven, leading to better energy as the long season heads into February and then, hopefully, into the playoffs in early March.
The road to those playoffs begins on Friday night when Woonsocket, which finished second in the state last season, hosts St. Raphael Academy in the Division I-North opener for both teams. The Saints have already played four games this season, winning three of them and pushing Cambridge Rindge & Latin hard on Monday night before losing a 66-62 road verdict. Forward Avery King scored 30 points in that game against tough competition.
Ivey-Jones will be matching strategy with veteran Saints coach Tom Sorrentine, who also favors heavy defensive pressure as a means to create offense.
“What I know,” Ivey-Jones said, speaking from his knowledge of Sorrentine, “is that Avery King will be trying to tear us apart. We have to keep a sharp eye on him. ‘Saar’ has always done a great job of developing role players who can hurt you on the floor. We have to keep an eye on everyone.”
Ivey-Jones should get a much better look at his team in this game, knowing the results of the season opener against a Division II team mean very little. The coach has spent the past month drilling his players in practice, and does have a few thoughts on the makeup of this squad.
“I think the identity of a team comes from the players,” he said. “They have to have a common goal. And I think the common goal for these guys is to know they have to play defense. We have to get into the trenches and put pressure on the other team. Our identity will come from how well we play defense this season. Last year’s team may have been longer and more athletic but this year’s team is quicker. We’ll be fun to watch.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 December 2008 )
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