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On the rebound: Wildcats eye bounce-back campaign
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
Plano Senior's season-opening 56-48 win over Garland Naaman Forest on Nov. 13 was an important night for the boys basketball team.
Not only did it mean starting the 2012-13 campaign off on a winning note, Plano got to enjoy its first victory since Dec. 28, 2011, and its first win of 2012 after a 1-13 run through District 8-5A last season.
"We got off to a good start in winning our first game," said Phil Parlin, Plano head coach. "We were excited about that because it's been a while since we've won a game. It was big to get these guys some confidence early like that."
It's a year of redemption for the team's five returners, all of whom played off the bench last year and are adjusting to new roles and expectations.
"There are a lot of unknowns out there," Parlin said. "A lot of these guys haven't played at all on the varsity level and a lot of the returners didn't get very many minutes last year. We want to use this beginning part of the season to see who will step up."
As if making that transition isn't a lofty enough challenge, the Wildcats are battling through an early injury bug with seniors Sheldon O'Neal, who scored 16 in the win over Naaman before hurting his ankle, and Teekay Biti, who will be out until mid-to-late December with an Achilles injury.
When healthy, Biti looks to be one of the primary cogs of the Plano backcourt. In the meantime, that onus has been embraced by junior Broderick Perkins.
"The way the game is played today, guard play is crucial for the development of your team," Parlin said. "That point guard role is a huge one and Broderick is doing a good job."
Senior Fred Williams and sophomore Jason Bardgett supply ammunition from the perimeter while Parlin lauded the former for his defensive abilities as well. Upon his return, the flashes of brilliance shown by O'Neal could lead to his role steadily increasing on the wing while senior Raivon Smith returns for his second season on varsity.
"[Smith] has unbelievable potential," Parlin said. "Hopefully we'll be able to get all of it from him this year and I know he's determined to have a big senior year."
The frontcourt will be anchored by returning senior Dustin Bercutt, who led Plano in scoring in its first two games. The post will be patrolled by senior Ryan White and junior Alex James, while the team works in football standouts in junior David Griffith and sophomore Sam Tecklenburg.
Plano will also enjoy the infusion of two newcomers in January, when the transfers of juniors Jacques Stephenson and Austin Evans are official, just in time for District 10-5A.
"That's going to make things a bit interesting as well," Parlin said. "We could be quite a bit different come January, so it'll be an interesting dynamic and we'll have to see how things pan out once we roll into the start of district."
The Wildcats are working with the hands they've been dealt early on, with rebounding and defense among the strong suits.
As is customary, the defense is a bit further ahead of the curve and, in Plano's case, it's about catching up on the other end of the floor.
"We've got to get better offensively," Parlin said. "We've got to get better in the half-court and shooting the 3-ball will be huge for us this year. We're just looking for consistency there."
Parlin added that chemistry is strong within this unit and for the players who soldiered through the low points of last season, avenging the 2011-12 campaign is paramount should the Wildcats hope to make any noise.
"These guys look forward to the challenge," he said. "They push each other in practice, they get along well and have a big desire to get things back on the right track."
For continued news and coverage on the local sports scene, follow @MWelchSCN on Twitter.
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