December 16, 2011
2011/2012 Team Preview: |
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Guard Duane James was the Rams' second leading scorer last season as a freshman. (Photo: Jason Bernstein) |
| Dickinson Rams Photo Gallery |
By Jason Bernstein Editorial Director |
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With the loss of 11 seniors and a clear lack of height, Dickinson head coach Sean Drennan wasn't very confident about his team before the start of the summer league schedule.
But after a surprisingly successful performance in the Hamilton Park League and a promising preseason, Drennan and the Rams enter tonight's opener with a renewed optimism.
"We did most of the jelling over the summmer, which helped us tremendously," Drennan said. "This is the most improved group I've had over a summer.
"I don't want to get too crazy and ahead of myself, but we've done very well in scrimmages and the thing that's most impressive is that they really get along. There's no me and they really work hard together. It's team first and I think that's helped them grow and just get better as a team."
Drennan has had plenty of reasons to be confident, the biggest being his new point guard in Tyquan Burno. The senior transfer from St. Anthony has immediately taken over as the team leader and displays the defense and basketball IQ expected of a student under Hall of Fame head coach Bob Hurley.
"It makes our life a lot easier. He knows everything we want to do," Drennan said. "Defensively he's beyond our kids already. It just helps a lot. Him just being around the game and him seeing what our others kids haven't seen definitely helps.
"His basketball maturity and knowledge of the game is just as high as I've seen as a high school kid. He has a mission."
Burno will look to get the ball early and often to sharp-shooting teammate Duane James. A 6-foot-2 sophomore, James averaged 14 points per game last year and looks poised to emerge as one of the County's top scorers.
"He's one of the best 3-pointer shooters I've seen in a while," Drennan said of James. "He can really, really shoot the ball well."
Due to its lack of size, the Rams will run a four-guard lineup with junior Denzel Clinton and senior Shannon Key rounding out the quartet. Clinton was cited by Drennan as the team's most improved player from last year and Key is one of the few Dickinson players with varsity experience.
Six-foot-three senior Pete Rivera is the lone forward in the lineup and will be heavily counted on for rebounding and interior defense.
Junior swingman Thomas Forty is a 3-point threat off the bench for the Rams. Five-foot-seven freshman Anthony Florence is the backup point guard while David Bethea and Derek Mayorga add rebounding and athleticism up front.
2011-12 Dickinson |
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