Boys basketball preview: Wolves reload for postseason run

Squad looks to posts, senior PG, trust for success

Talk about a 1-2 punch.

 

Greg Glaser and his Sequim Wolves head into the 2013-2014 season seeking a return to the postseason, but they’ll have to do it without a pair of school record-breakers.

 

June’s graduation took away Jayson Brocklesby — Sequim’s No. 2 all-time scorer and ball-stealer — and Gabe Carter, the program’s all-time leading rebounder and assister. The two were also last year’s two scorers (Brocklesby 20.4 ppg, Carter 11 ppg), and with Sequim’s five other seniors moving on, nearly two-thirds of the Wolves’ scoring punch is gone.

 

But Glasser said he likes what he sees coming back in his returning players, including sharpshooter Alex Barry, big men Erik Christensen and Rory Kallappa, and nimble senior point guard Anthony Pinza.

“That’s the fun part of this: we get to develop a different identity every year,” Glasser said, taking a break between drills at a preseason practice last week.

 

This year’s team doesn’t have an explosive scorer like Brocklesby or player with game-changing versatility like Carter, Glasser said, so they’ll have to all pitch in.

 

“This group is going to have to do it together,” he said.

 

What Glasser doesn’t need to coach is the team size, a point of strength for Sequim. Christensen is 6 feet 5 inches and Kallappa just an inch shorter, with bigs Bailey Earley and Josh McConnaughey in the wings.

 

“We’ve got some great size this year,” Glasser said. “We want the ball to touch our post players every time down the court.”

 

Not that it’s going to be all about the big guys. Glasser likes Pinza’s game — “I think we have the best point guard in the league,” Glasser said — and Barry, a constant long-range threat. Barry was last year’s third-leading scorer (7.5 ppg), 3-point shooter (28 made) and rebounder (3.8 per game).

 

Pinza was fifth on the team with 5.3 points per game and averaged nearly two-and-a-half assists. He was also the team’s top free throw shooter with nearly 80 percent accuracy.

 

Adding to the mix is transfer George Johnson, who brings from Oregon a strong shooting presence off the bench.

 

“He’ll surprise some people (and) give us good minutes,” Glasser said of Johnson.

 

The Sequim coach said Sequim will be tested by athletic teams like Bremerton and Olympic.

 

“We have to be ready for their pressure,” Glasser said. “We are a team that … (trusts) one another. If you can do that with a high school team, you’re going to be successful.”

 

Sequim opens their season Dec. 6 at Port Townsend. The Wolves host Olympic’s Trojans on Dec. 11.