PENDLETON — Defense, strength and toughness will be the name of the game for this year’s Arabians boys basketball team, until coaches and players can figure out who is going to lead the squad offensively.
Head coach Kevin Bates is excited for the upcoming season because he’s got a roster full of top-notch Pendleton Heights athletes, he said, despite the team having lost several starters from last year’s sixth-place Hoosier Heritage Conference team (11-13, 4-3 HHC).
The Arabians will have to replace their top-three perimeter players from last year and Eli Pancol, a 6-4 senior, who is graduating early in December to head to Duke University to play football for the Blue Devils.
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While Pancol is gone, Bates will have other football players step up and into leadership roles, including Christian Conkling, a 6-4 senior, and Kamden Early, 5-8 junior.
Senior Christian Jones, 6-0, team captain, is also back.
Early was hurt all of last season and didn’t get to play basketball, while Conkling and Jones were on the team but didn’t get a lot of time.
“These guys are going to have significant roles this year and play significant minutes,” Bates said.
The Arabians also will look to last’s year’s only returning starter, Damieon Warrum, 6-7, to carry a much bigger role offensively. He missed seven games last year but scored 10 points per game.
Bates is also planning to throw a couple of his younger players into the mix, he said.
Also, another football player, 5-8 senior Tristen Spinks, and regional tennis star Walker Stull are both players Bates thinks can add a spark to the squad.
“These guys will give us some toughness and strength at the guard position and some depth as well as some speed and athletic ability,” Bates said.
As the season progresses, the coach is counting on the players jelling together and becoming a force to reckon with by sectional.
One thing is certain: Bates is looking forward to his fourth season as head coach.
“What I’ve told everybody, and I hope to be right, (is) I definitely think this is the toughest team that I’ve had since I’ve been blessed to be the head coach,” Bates said.
He credits the school’s off-season weight and fitness program coached by Jed Richman for developing the school’s athletes and helping them reach their potential.
This is the third full season in which the high school athletes are taking part in off-season workouts, and Bates is seeing huge strides in his basketball players.
“We’ve got some kids who have really put on some muscle, and they look great,” Bates said.
Bates really likes having several football players on this year’s basketball team because they’re skilled position athletes who are used to having the ball and performing under pressure. Quarterback Conkling, running back Early, wide receiver Spinks and two tight end receivers are on the basketball squad.
“I think they will be the toughest team I’ve ever had, and they could be the most physical team I’ve ever had,” Bates said. “Hopefully it can also be the best defensive team I’ve ever had.”
If the team can get some players into a scoring groove, the sky’s the limit for what the Arabians could accomplish in the 2018-19 season.
Bates knows, however, the conference is going to be one of the best he’s seen in years, with New Castle returning two Division 2 players who helped the Trojans win 25 games last year and Delta returning basically everyone from a squad that won 18 games last season.
New Palestine (15-10, last season) is also returning several top players, as is Shelbyville (16-9), Bates said.
“To win the conference, you’ve got to try and hold serve at home and then get one or two games on the road,” Bates said.
The Arabians open the season at home in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against Anderson on Tuesday, Nov. 20.
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PENDLETON HEIGHTS BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE:
11/20 vs. Anderson, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
11/27 vs. Westfield, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
11/30 @ Lapel, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
12/1 vs. Carmel, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
12/7 @ Mt. Vernon, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
12/8 @ Connersville, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
12/11 @ Guerin High School, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
12/15 @ Lawrence Central High School, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
12/21 vs. Hamilton Southeastern, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
12/31 @ Frankton High School, County Tournament, Monday, TBA
1/3 @ Alexandria, County Tournament, Thursday, TBA
1/5 @ Alexandria, County Tournament, Saturday, TBA
1/11 vs. New Palestine, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
1/12 vs. Shelbyville, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
1/16 @ Delta, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
1/18 vs. University, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
1/25 @ Greenfield-Central, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
1/26 @ Pike High School, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
1/31 vs. Yorktown, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
2/5 vs. Muncie, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
2/8 @ Fishers, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2/12 @ New Castle, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
2/19 vs. North Central, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
2/26 @ Richmond, Opening round of sectional play, TBA
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