By Tyler Fenwick | For The Times-Post
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PENDLETON — Through the first two seasons under head coach Kevin Bates, the Pendleton Heights boys basketball team has been steadily improving from 13 wins in 2015 to 17 wins last year.Now, with much of last season’s production returning, the Arabians can set their sights on continuing the trend.
Pendleton Heights can start with relying on a trio of senior captains in Trent Miller, Justin Shupe and Luke Drye.
“They’re taking it upon themselves to lead this team to the best of their ability through their work ethic,” Bates said.
It’ll start on defense for Pendleton Heights, which is looking for its first postseason win under Bates.
“We try to pride ourselves on defensive game planning and scouting,” Bates said, “and then putting together a good game plan for the kids to execute.”
Bates said he wants his defense to put pressure on the ballhandler without getting beat off the dribble. Meanwhile, he’d also like to see strong help-side defense that rotates well enough to draw some charges.
“To be a good defender, you’ve got to have some heart. You’ve got to have some effort,” he said.
On offense, the Arabians will be without last season’s leading scorer Mark Albers, who averaged 19.8 points, but the next four leading scorers are back: Junior Karsten Windlan scored 12 points per game, junior Eli Pancol averaged 11.1 points, Miller averaged 10.6 points and Shupe averaged 7.2 points.
When the Arabians took on Anderson on Tuesday, Nov. 21 (after press time) in the season opener, they weren’t doing so at full strength. Juniors Damieon Warrum and Windlan will be out the first five games with suspensions. Miller and Pancol are dealing with injuries, but Bates hopes they won’t have to miss any games.
“Once we put everything in the past and get healthy, it should be pretty exciting,” Bates said.
It’s about three months away, but Bates is already thinking about the final stretch of the season because he takes exception to the idea that his teams have faded toward the finish.
In the 2015-16 season, the Arabians lost six of their final nine games, and last season they lost four of their final eight.
Bates said the schedule gets more difficult late as they play higher-end competition such as New Castle and North Central, and he thinks that helps his team prepare for the postseason.
“We’re not concerned with wins and losses,” Bates said. “We’re just concerned with improving and being at our best going into the sectional.”
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Senior profile
‘The Pendleton Way’
PENDLETON — Senior captain Trent Miller understands this is his last season in the Pendleton Heights basketball program, and he’s ready to leave a legacy.
“As a captain, I want to be able to make these kids better, vocally and off the court especially,” said Miller. “I just want to do stuff the Pendleton way.”
The Pendleton way? That means having some common sense and doing the right thing on and off the court, keeping yourself and your teammates in mind at all times.
Miller said it’s an exciting opportunity to be in this position as a leader, but that at the same he also recognizes this means his time is running out.
“I’ve got to lead this team in a different way,” Miller said.
As for personal goals on the court, Miller won’t entertain any such thing.
“My personal goals are the team’s goals,” he said. “I just want to win.”
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Schedule:
Nov. 21 — @ Anderson
Nov. 28 — @ Westfield
Dec. 1 — Lapel
Dec. 2 — @ Carmel
Dec. 8 — Mt. Vernon
Dec. 9 — Connersville
Dec. 16 — Lawrence Central
Dec. 20 — @ Hamilton Heights
Jan. 2-6 — Madison County Tournament
Jan. 12 — @ New Palestine
Jan. 13 — @ Shelbyville
Jan. 17 — Delta
Jan. 19 — @ University
Jan. 26 — Greenfield-Central
Jan. 27 — Pike
Feb. 1 — @ Yorktown
Feb. 6 — @ Muncie Central
Feb. 9 — Fishers
Feb. 13 — New Castle
Feb. 18 — Guerin Catholic
Feb. 20 — @ North Central
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Roster:
(Player’s number, name, grade)
No. 10 Karsten Windlan (11)
No. 14 Eli Pancol (11)
No. 20 Trent Miller (12)
No. 22 Garrett Wimmer (11)
No. 24 Justin Shupe (12)
No. 30 Luke Drye (12)
No. 32 Dameion Warrum (11)
No. 34 Christian Jones (11)
No. 42 Ryan Noel (11)
No. 44 Christian Conkling (11)
No. 54 Tristan Ross (10)
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