Comets stride for team chemistry

CHARLES CITY BOYS BASKETBALL

Comets stride for team chemistry

Height will provide advantage for CC this year

The last four years have been a challenge for the boys’ basketball team. Not to say there weren’t successes along the way, but with a height advantage the Comets haven’t had in the recent past, head coach Todd Forsyth is confident on how his team might be able to matchup in the Northeast Iowa Conference this year.

“We’re a much different team than we have been in the last four years,” Forsyth said. “We have a lot more height and depth. We’ve got the good basketball skills. A lot of people are competing for playing time.”

What makes this team so unique isn’t just the height the Comets will bring to the court. It will be the mix of underclassmen and upperclassmen mixed together. That kind of bond, Forsyth said, can come in handy in big games.

“Developing that will be really important,” Forsyth said. “Just because of the skills, leadership will be important for the seniors; to build that team chemistry. We’ve got a group of seniors that have played together since they were little.

“If we can develop that team chemistry and share the pluses, it will help us achieve at a very high level.”

It will be hard to pick out any key players this year to watch, Forsyth said. In the past, the Comets have had a significant leading scorer or outstanding defensive man. Last year, it was Caleb Hageman, who led the Comets in scoring and averaged nearly 20 points a game to keep the Comets in games. This year, 6-foot-3 Shane Feller and 6-foot-2 Brandt Gebel will be a part of the tall, senior class Forsyth is looking at to step up when needed.

Right now, defense is the Comets’ biggest weakness Forsyth said. He hopes that having players with the knowledge of a sound defense and having those “good basketball skills” will help them fit into a better defense, while still outscoring some of their opponents.

The Comets bring six seniors to the floor this year.

They will be a emotional, and often times physical, leaders of this team. Rebounding, defense and all the assets a height advantage brings to a team will be where Charles City butters its bread this year.

“We’ve had to work really hard the last few years to try and cover up six or eight people with five or 11 people,” Forsyth said. “So, hopefully this allows us to be a better defensive team in the long run. But we still have that to develop.”

COMETS’ RECENT RECORDS

2014-15: 9-14 2013-14: 8-14 2012-13: 9-13 2011-12: 4-18

By Stephen Koenigsfeld sports@charlescitypress.com