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Young Wildcats ready to face challenges of varsity schedule

By MICHAEL BOYLAN

mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Whitewater boys varsity basketball coach Brent Jackson is excited about the 2004-2005 season. Instead of taking his team made up of freshmen and sophomores and playing a combined non-region/junior varsity schedule, the Wildcats will play a varsity region schedule in hopes that it will prepare them for what they hope is a very bright future.

The team played a combined ninth grade/junior varsity schedule last year and went 18-6. Jackson and girls varsity coach Mary Ann Pina felt that another year playing that type of schedule would not teach the players much. This season will likely be a challenge for the young team, but they expect to be competitive, get better every time they get on the court and be playing their best ball of the season when it counts, towards the end.

The Wildcats will be led by shooting guard Jay Bright, who averaged 19 points per game last season, and point guard Kevin Leewallen, who will be looked to to run the offense, push the ball and play good defense.

“This team has a lot of depth and everybody will contribute,” said Jackson, who described the team’s play as up tempo with a lot of intensity. “At the pace we play, everybody has to be ready to contribute.”

Other players Jackson will be counting on this year will be Stephen Sargent, a 6’10” player and the Wildcats’ presence inside, J.T. Martin, an outside shooter and leader of perimeter offense and Ricky Sinkfield, the leading rebounder on last year’s team. Jackson also mentioned J.B. Bringuel, Jonathon Ashley, Vincent Webb and Lee Hardnett as important players who bring a lot of hustle and intensity to the game.

A lot of these names may be very familiar to Whitewater football fans as 10 players on the basketball roster were also on the football team. Not only are these guys well-conditioned after a successful season on the gridiron, but they are also a team with built-in chemistry.

“That chemistry is going to be very important for us to overcome the challenges and obstacles we will face this year,’ said Jackson. “This is a tough region, but we’re excited about facing those challenges.”

The Wildcats open the season this week. They faced Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy last night, will host Haralson County Friday at 7 p.m. and will play at Our Lady of Mercy on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Keep reading The Citizen or visit www.thecitizennews.com for basketball scores and updates.