Puzzle pieces in place for Lions
The pieces appear to be coming together for the Briarwood Christian School boys basketball team.
The Lions have 10 seniors on the roster, an incredibly high number at the high school level.
The Lions also return two players who can score at a high level in Hayden Lamey and Chance Beard. Lamey led the charge for the team last winter with 18.2 points per game and was named to the All-South Metro team.
Briarwood also has plenty of size on the front line, which should lend itself to the Lions being a solid rebounding team. Beard stands 6 feet, 5 inches, while Stetson Ponder is 6-6 and Will Brewer is 6-7. There are also guys such as Cal Reebals and Sam Russell who will help in that regard.
“Top to bottom, it’s a good group,” Briarwood head coach Bobby Kerley said.
Things will start and end with those seniors this winter. Lamey and Beard are expected to lead the way. Kerley has seen both players improve tremendously, even with the success they posted a year ago.
“(Hayden) is one of the best shooters around,” Kerley said. “He’s a real game shooter. He doesn’t have to be wide open. He can catch and shoot it when you’re contesting, so you’ve got to make him put it on the floor, and he can take it to the goal and finish it.”
Lamey has also put in the work to improve his strength and conditioning, while Beard has also continued his ascent.
“Chance is going to be a nightmare for people because he is so athletic,” Kerley said. “He can play around the rim, but he can really shoot the 3, so that’s going to have to be something we do, is take advantage of his versatility.”
Because two of last year’s players — Jack Dicen and Zac Nuyt — graduated, the Lions will look to Blake Lester and Ryan Donohoo to fill the void at the point guard spot, after sophomore Brooks Donnelly was injured during football season. Kerley called Donohoo the best shooter on the team.
Among the other seniors, Chase Travis is a lockdown defender, James Hancock will play a forward spot, and Josh Jones joined the team this season. Brewer, Landon Nuyt and John Elliott are the team’s three seniors.
Brewer is a strong shot blocker working to develop the rest of his game, while Nuyt and Elliott should see time in the backcourt.
With the inflated number of seniors on the roster, the majority of the team has played together for almost the entirety of their basketball careers.
“We’ve all been together forever, and you don’t really have cliques,” Kerley said. “There’s some things with that, playing with your brother; there’s going to be some arguments, but you get over it quick. It’s good competition, and there’s no animosity.”
The Lions have a chance to do some damage in Class 5A, Area 8, which includes John Carroll, Ramsay and Woodlawn.
“We have a group that can compete in our area,” Kerley said. “Every year, you’re trying to maximize you. If we can do that this year, that’ll look pretty good.
Briarwood begins its season Nov. 19 against Trinity Presbyterian. Also in November, the Lions take on Moody and Vincent and play in a tournament over Thanksgiving.