High school basketball preview: Independent Panthers (+video)
Schedule
December – 4, at Douglass; 8-12, at Circle tournament; 15, Chaparral; 18, Bluestem.
January – 5, at Belle Plaine; 8, at Trinity Academy; 12, at Cheney; 15, Conway Springs; 21-23, at Frontenac tournament (B); 26-30, at Sedgwick tournament (G).
February – 2, Douglass; 5, at Bluestem; 9, Garden Plain; 12, at Chaparral; 16, Belle Plaine; 19, Trinity Academy; 23, at Medicine Lodge.
Boys
Coach: Bernie Pearson, first season
Last season: 13-9
Top players
Walker Chandler, 6-7, sr., C
Chad Eikleberry, 5-7, sr., G
Connor Sevier, 6-2, sr., G
Chris Taylor, 5-10, sr., G
Shase Williams, 5-10, sr., G
It would be intriguing enough to see how Independent, with five returning senior starters and quality depth, performed under any new coach.
But consider that coach is Pearson, who has a unique understanding of the Panthers’ strengths and weaknesses. Last season, he guided Conway Springs to two victories over Independent, the latter in the Class 3A sub-state semifinals.
“The next phase for them is to get over the hump,” said Pearson, who moved within the Central Plains League to replace Rob Fields. “We’ve got them working hard to develop chemistry, and hopefully we’ll find that leadership to make it happen.”
Taylor earned all-league first-team honors last season and pairs with Williams to make up a quick, active backcourt. Sevier and Eikleberry are dangerous three-point shooters.
Independent averaged 65.1 points last season, but lost four games in which it surpassed that total.
“Offense isn’t the issue,” Pearson said. “We’re going to get after it defensively. It’s going to be key for us.”
So will the productivity of Chandler, one of the league’s biggest players whom Pearson calls Independent’s “X-factor.” The Panthers also return 6-foot-4 senior Monte Brzon, a strong rebounder and key reserve a year ago.
With mostly underclassmen on last season’s roster and some transfers in the mix, Pearson said he could have as many as 10 or 11 battling for significant playing time.
“I think we’ve got enough weapons,” Pearson said. “We just need them to continue to buy in what our staff is trying to do.”
Girls
Coach: Byron Greene, first season
Last season: 10-11
Top players
Lea Coccetella, 6-0, so., G-F
Abbey Kolbeck, 5-8, jr., F
Beets Petrakis, 6-1, jr., F
Tiffany Taylor, 5-8, jr., G
Greene, who came to Independent from Dallas’ Cornerstone Crossroads Academy, tried to familiarize himself with how the Panthers played last season after finding some game tape over the summer.
It didn’t do him much good to focus on personnel, as Independent graduated its entire starting lineup among eight seniors.
But what he witnessed – and what has carried over in early practices with his untested roster – has been encouraging.
“The kids at Independent are really disciplined and have that laser focus,” Greene said. “When you teach them something, they absorb it really quick.
“It puts a coach at ease when you teach something and see it done the next day exactly the way you taught it.”
Coccetella and Kolbeck return with varsity experience. Coccetella became a significant contributor during the second half of her freshman season.
“Lea has a strong basketball IQ in addition to her skill level,” Greene said.
Taylor and Petrakis offer Greene athleticism that suits the style he’d like to play.
“They’re going to have a lot of freedom,” said Greene, who also spent one season as a women’s assistant at Arcadia (Pa.) University, an NCAA Division III program. “I like players who know how to get to the cup and to the free-throw line.
“Both offensively and on defense we’ll use a team philosophy. I don’t want it to be where you’re only a post player and you’re only a point guard. We want players to have some versatility and be interchangeable wherever they are on the floor.”
Scott Paske
This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 10:47 AM with the headline "High school basketball preview: Independent Panthers (+video)."