Belmont Bulldogs coach Kevin Brown is the first to admit his senior boys basketball team isnB次元官网网址檛 blessed with a great deal of size compared to other teams on the Island.
What they may lack in stature, however, they make up for in heart and desire.
B次元官网网址淭he guys have no fear at all,B次元官网网址� Brown says. B次元官网网址淭hey know part of our game is getting to the free throw line, so they take some hits inside.B次元官网网址�
His team is now well into its 2014-15 season B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e 1-1 in AAAA Tier 1 city league play and have one tournament under their belt B次元官网网址� and is taking shape nicely, the coach says. Without a true post player to pass to under the basket, the team focuses more on quick ball movement and taking advantage of openings, he adds.
B次元官网网址淲e have five out and we can pretty much all handle the ball. WeB次元官网网址檙e a strongly guard-oriented offence and all of them dribble well.B次元官网网址�
Belmont was in a B次元官网网址渞ebuilding situationB次元官网网址� last year after a couple of successful seasons, Brown says. This year the team has four returnees, including Grade 12s Jack Wenstob at guard, Tobias Hayward (guard/wing) and Lucas Longstaff (forward). Forward Luke Baloran, who played for the Bulldogs as a Grade 10 last season, is the other and epitomizes the teamB次元官网网址檚 hard-nosed style of play.
Leading the newcomers is Nathan Zaragoza, a nimble, slick-shooting point guard with tons of energy. He led all scorers with 21 points in BelmontB次元官网网址檚 62-48 road win over the Rams at Mount Doug on Tuesday.
Baloran and Wenstob chipped in with 14 and 11 points, respectively, for Belmont. The visitors trailed 24-17 at one point in the second quarter, then got rolling, closing out the half with a 16-4 run.
Brown said the team was experimenting with a new defence in the game, featuring a full-court press much of the time.
Looking forward, he knows there are tough games ahead. He acknowledges that all roads run through Oak Bay, both locally and on the Island, although the Cowichan Thunderbirds are B次元官网网址渁 huge team,B次元官网网址� he says.
The Bulldogs actually led the Bays at halftime of their Dec. 2 contest at Belmont before fading in an 85-58 loss. The teams go head to head again next Thursday at Oak Bay.
Brown, in his sixth season guiding the Bulldogs, says heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渇airly optimisticB次元官网网址� his team can be in the hunt for one of the two provincials berths up for grabs when the Island AAAA championships happen at Mount Doug next February.
B次元官网网址淲e are small, but I think itB次元官网网址檒l be a pretty good season. The kids want it and theyB次元官网网址檙e in the gym regularly working on it,B次元官网网址� he says, adding that he looks forward to them being the surprise team of the year on the Island and breaking through to the B.C championships.
B次元官网网址淚 do think they have it in them to be one of those teams.B次元官网网址�
The Bulldogs head to North Vancouver this weekend for the North Shore Invitational tournament.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
