SOMERS, N.Y. - Last year, the Tuskers struggled in the win column, finishing with only three victories—though many of those losses were close. “We definitely fought,” said Coach James Loughran.
Still, the record remains a reminder and a motivator.
“What this offseason proved was a lot of guys became motivated off a three-win season,” Loughran said. “It’s propelled us and we’ve found a lot of leadership.”
At the guard positions, Nico Quinones and Leo Keimig return, while Julian Rosa, Arman Rao, and James Brinn will rotate between the front and back court.
With Phil Santore’s sharpshooting no longer in the lineup, Loughran hopes Keimig can help fill the void. “He’s expanded his shot by working in the offseason,” the coach said, noting improvement “in all other aspects” as well.
In the middle, Chris Decker has yet to shed the blonde hair from football season, and though he’s a bit undersized, Loughran believes the defensive tackle will hold his own. “If we know anything about Section One, you don’t have to have tremendous size,” he said.
Regardless, the approach won’t be borrowed from the gridiron. “We’re preaching physicality,” Loughran said.
It’s a role James Brinn steps into naturally after his physical play on the soccer field, and Loughran expects that intensity to set the tone. “He’s our go-to motivator,” he said.
Defensively, that identity will carry upward. “A lot of what we are working on is man-to-man, run-and-jump, and trap,” Loughran explained. “You’ll see a mix of zone, press, and full-court man-to-man.”
Hoping to speed up games with their athleticism, the Tuskers are focusing on day-to-day progress rather than long-term projections. “We’ve been telling the guys, just do better than yesterday,” Loughran concluded.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here