Coach's focus shift to desire for Indian River hoops
While Indian River High School’s boys’ varsity basketball squad has had more downs than ups this season, head coach Marvin Phillips said he is still looking for that positive drive from his players. The Indians played host last week to the defending divisional champions from Polytech, who proved precisely why they were a top-five team in the state of Delaware.
Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
IR’s London Tucker plays some tight defence against Polytech. Polytech won the game 85-28, showing why they are a top-five team in Delaware.
The Panthers put on a strong performance, routing the Indians 85-28. Senior guard Justin Braddy took control of the game, netting 22 points, while forward Eric Laster contributed 20.
“Our success starts in the summer,” noted Polytech’s head coach John Pierce following their ninth win of the season. “Our guys are buying into working hard and improving over the summer. It helps having a leader like Justin [Braddy], too. He’s a fourth-year starter, and his hard work and dedication show, on and off the court. The other guys see what he’s doing and it helps them to bring the level of their game up, too.”
Marquel Knight led Indian River with 11 points on the evening, but the struggling Indians fell in their 10th loss of the season.
IR followed up this past Tuesday, Jan. 17, with a hard-fought game against Lake Forest, but their string of misfortune continued as the Spartans came out victorious, 59-42.
As a frustrating season heads into the second half of the schedule, Phillips is zeroing in on improving the team’s depth in years to come.
“Our focus right now,” he said, “is to work hard at practice and in the games. The mentality on the court has to change. Some of the upperclassmen assume, ‘I’m going to play anyway, because I’m a junior or a senior.’ The way I look at it, if we’re losing, I may as well bring up the younger guys who want to play and can learn at the varsity level, so that, when they do make that transition to varsity, they will have that experience.”
Sophomore London Tucker is one of the recent acquisitions on the varsity roster.
“London’s a great athlete,” said Phillips. “I love football players coming out to play basketball, and if you can get guys coming off of an undefeated football season, that desire can carry over. [London’s] not afraid to get in there and mix things up. Even if he makes a mistake or I get on him about a play, he’s still out there and gets it the next time.”
Qyaire Hicks, another sophomore playing on the varsity roster, is showing determination, as well, after he contributed nine points in the Indians’ narrow loss at Lake Forest earlier this week.
“At practice,” Phillips added, “I’m looking for the kids who want to get out there and play. We aren’t too focused on offensive or defensive plays right now. I want to see who has that drive. If I can get some of the younger guys out there, learning the game at the varsity level, that’s what I want. That’s what’s going to help us down the road.”
The Indians were set to head to Arcadia, Va., this past Thursday, Jan. 19, (after Coastal Point press time) for their next game, and are slated to host Laurel this coming Tuesday, Jan. 24, before a stretch of away games that will reach into early February.
