N-P focuses on early goals 2015-16

NASHUA-PLAINFIELD BOYS BASKETBALL

N-P focuses on early goals 2015-16

Perimeter shooting to be a strength for Huskies this season

As enticing as a high-powered, quick shooting, bucket-scoring offense is to have at your disposal, the Nashua- Plainfield boys’ basketball team is in for somewhat of a transition.

The Huskies, who finished the 2014-15 conference season 9-5, will move to a more defensively oriented style of play this year, said head coach Justin Eiffler. The Huskies graduated four seniors from the team that fell in the substate playoffs, but have experience coming through the ranks.

“We’re going to have to have to win games on the defensive side of the ball,” Eiffler said. “We don’t have a go-to guy to get us a bucket when we need it. So we’ll have to mix it up between zone and man.”

Although defense will be a key priority, the offense will still attempt to spread the floor and run a “read and react” kind of attack. The goal is to give their point guards as many opportunities to make plays down the stretch.

Eiffler said he’ll implement a few ball screens when being faced with man-on-man defense.

With the graduated talent gone, the Huskies have to look toward younger talent as they begin to kick off their season. That won’t be too hard with the experience Eiffler has in some of his underclassmen.

“One guy to watch will be Dayton Hansen, a sophomore this year,” Eiffler said. “He was even pulled up as a freshman and played in some of those substate games for one of our seniors who had a broken hand.”

Only being a sophomore, Hansen will continue learning the routine of the faster-paced N-P

lost last year, Smith is now finding new hope in other scoring opportunities.

So far, sophomore Sydney Hansen and junior Sierra Fisher have shown to be integral parts of the Huskies’ offense. Keeping the turnover ratio and number of fouls low will be key components to getting wins this season. If they can do that, the Huskies’ to-be sound defense will provide extra opportunities for them to get to the basket.

By Stephen Koenigsfeld sports@charlescitypress.com