By Kyle LoJacono
Despite his stoic demeanor, Wesley Chapel boys basketball coach Doug Greseth can hardly contain his excitement when talking about what is possible for his team this year.
“At this point I just feel like we’re so much better than this time last year,” Greseth said. “We have a lot of really good basketball players who are getting better every day.”
The 9-year Wildcats coach has that feeling not only because of the talent, but also because of how young most of his players are. Wesley Chapel (5-0) made regionals last year, the first time since 2007, with only one senior.
The Wildcats, who finished with a 13-16 record, entered the district tournament last year as the No. 6 seed, but reached the finals to earn a postseason spot. Wesley Chapel was knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by cross-town rival Wiregrass Ranch, but earned experience that will serve the players this year.
“I thought making regionals was invaluable for the team,” Greseth said. “We had times last year when we started two sophomores and two freshmen or three sophomores and a freshman. We were very young, but we did what I thought we would do. We struggled early but improved as the season went on.
“The good thing is this year we have about eight players with at least a year on varsity,” Greseth continued. “I can already see the difference. We’re just so much better just from experience standpoint and the players getting more mature with their bodies and minds.”
Being in the postseason is nothing new to the Wildcats. The program made the final four in 2002, just three years after the school opened. Wesley Chapel returned to states the next year, a season that saw the squad lead Florida in scoring with 83.7 points per game.
The Wildcats made the playoffs every year from 2002-07, but it has been a process to get the squad back to that level.
“When Wiregrass opened up a few years ago that took some of our players,” Greseth said. “The year they opened up I had seven players that went over there. So we’ve been hovering around .500 the last few years, but I really think we have a good group here. For the next three or four years I have a good feeling about the guys we’ve got now.”
The players are confident they can get Wesley Chapel back to making deep postseason runs.
“I think winning districts and regionals is possible,” said sophomore guard Carson Emery. “I think we have the talent to get to the final four.”
Junior forward Erik Thomas, who posted 15.2 points per game last year while adding 220 rebounds and 75 assists, is also excited about what is possible this season.
“We’re all ready to go out and have an even better season,” said Thomas. “We want to have a better record, get back to regionals and from there just see what we can do.”
Most of the Wildcats are back from last year’s team, but they will have to replace the points put up by 2010-11 leading scorer Christian Parra, who transferred to Wiregrass Ranch. The junior point guard led Wesley Chapel with 15.4 points per game while adding 91 assists, 83 rebounds and 59 steals last season.
Moving into Parra’s spot at point guard is junior Stefan Bayne, who scored 4.5 points per game while adding 76 assists, 41 rebounds and 40 steals.
“I think it’s more of a team effort,” Bayne said. “I’m not trying to make up for the points he scored all by myself. I’ll just do what I’m capable of and if we all do that we’ll be fine.”
Emery will also play point, but his accuracy makes him lethal as a shooting guard.
“I try and practice shooting every day,” Emery said. “Usually I take about 500 shots every other day. The confidence comes from that and not some natural mindset.”
Greseth said his three seniors, Julian Vann, Sasha Mentor and Xavier Leatherbury, will be leaned on for their experience and leadership this year as well.
“I’m going to go all out and leave everything on the court,” Vann said. “I’d like to get us back to states like Wesley Chapel used to.”
The Wildcats have already secured a small victory this year by winning the River Ridge Thanksgiving Tournament. Wesley Chapel defeated Land O’ Lakes 62-38 before taking down Tarpon Springs 54-31 to claim the title.
Thomas, who was named tournament MVP, had 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the championship game. Sophomore center Marcus Hayne added 13 assists and nine rebounds in the victory against Tarpon Springs.
The Wildcats host Hudson on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Pasco on Friday, Dec. 9. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.
–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.
