Asbury Park Boys Basketball Preview
By ANDREW CANGIANO
Despite losing their top two scorers from a season ago, the Bishops boys hoops team is looking to make even more progress this year than last season, when the team qualified for the state playoffs.
Asbury Park lost senior Marquise Drayton to graduation and point guard Nyrahn Smith, who transferred to another school. However, the team returns key players such as seniors John Romero and Andre Mackenzie and juniors Darryl Jefferson and Steve Raymond.
The starting lineup will also feature Anthony Simmons, who moves up from the junior varsity squad. On the bench the team will have Keith Michelle as its sixth man, as well as Johnny Laine and Carl Saint.
Head Coach Barry Baity said he expects freshman Nicholas Johnson to get quality minutes by mid-season. Until then he said the team will likely have an eight man rotation.
Coaster Photos
Head Coach Barry Baity (left). A Bishops player goes up for a lay-in at a recent practice. (right)
What the team lacks in size, it will have to make up for with its athleticism. For this reason, Baity said the team will play a man-to-man defense to take advantage of his squads quickness.
Were going to go man-to-man a lot this year. Use our quickness with man-to-man, he said. I get a few guys in foul trouble, I may have to go back to our zone.
It depends on the situation, but to play man you have to be deep, Baity said. Were not that deep on the bench. Thats what were working on now. If I can get a bench I think we can be pretty good.
Thats what were working on now, have to bring some young kids up to try to get a bench. And theyve been working real hard also.
The Bishops will have to compete with a number of strong teams in their division, including St. Rose and Mater Dei. Other competition Asbury Park will face includes Pt. Pleasant Beach, Henry Hudson, Shore Regional, Keyport, and Keansburg.
The team will also face local rival Neptune in the Battle on the Boardwalk at Conventional Hall in January, as well as away games against Ocean and Manasquan.
Baity has set some lofty goals for the team this season.
Our goals are always to win the conference, he said, adding that the team would also like to get a higher seeding in the Shore Conference Tournament than last year and to get a home game for the first round of the state playoffs.
Our first state game we want to be home, instead of away, he said.
Baity said one of the important focuses in practice is discipline and that the players have been buying into his coaching philosiphy. The team has also focused on early season conditioning and improving their strength in the weight room.
Asbury Parks head coach said he would like the team to take the teams goals from last year one step forward.
We fulfilled our goals but we want to take it a little forward this year, he said.
The Bishops assistant coaches are Joe Raines (junior varsity) and John Venino (freshman).
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