2013 High School Basketball Previews: Marble Falls, Burnet, Llano, Faith Academy

FROM STAFF REPORTS

MARBLE FALLS MUSTANGS

HEAD COACH: Neil Laminack; DISTRICT: 25-4A; 2012-13 RECORD: 15-22 overall and 2-10 in district

RETURNERS: Ben Stripling, Danny Rivara, Cody Seelig, J.T. Watson and Zuri Buchanan

HOME OPENER: Georgetown East View at 8 p.m. Nov. 15 at Max Copeland Gym, 2101 Mustang Drive

2013 OUTLOOK: Just call them the Running Mustangs. That’s this season’s approach now that Neil Laminack is entering his second year at Marble Falls. And that’s because the coach is more familiar with his players’ strengths.

“I think they’ve grown tremendously and not so much from a basketball sense where they’re incredibly familiar with this offense or that defense,” he said. “But just in terms of what the expectation is, how to work hard, how to be a teammate, how to show up every day. I think that’s the biggest improvement and the biggest change that I’ve seen.”

The Mustangs will rely on several multi-sport athletes to help offset the graduations of point guard Colin Edwards and center Ray Baltazar. Stripling returns as a three-point specialist, and Rivara takes over at center.

“I think we’re going to be deeper than any team in the district,” Laminack said. “I think we’re going to be genuinely 15 players deep. I like what we have coming back. I like the youth, and I like our depth. We’re going to be able to play the length of the floor this year and won’t have to be tied down to half court.”

Marble Falls has called early morning practices for the past three weeks, which allows the team to work on basketball drills for two hours and spend first period on shooting.

With the quicker pace, the Mustangs must be able to make shots from every part of the court, Laminack said. He counts Leander, Cedar Park and Leander Rouse as the favorites but doesn’t discount his own squad from qualifying for the playoffs.

“I think it’s a strong district like it always is,” he said. “If we’re able to do the things we want to do by the time district starts, I think we have just as good a chance as anybody else.”

BURNET BULLDOGS

HEAD COACH: Roy Kiser; DISTRICT: 8-3A; 2012-13 RECORD: 17-12 overall and 7-3 in district

RETURNERS: Clayton Baumgart, Derek Kiser, Colton Stevens, Chase Mardis, Trenton Hafley, Blayne Parisher, Walker Townes and Nic Ybarra

NEWCOMERS: Joe Parker, Darious Johnson, Brian Bullock, Austin Crain and Tim Aguillon

HOME OPENER: Taylor at 6:45 p.m. Nov. 22 at The Doghouse, 1000 The Green Mile in Burnet

2013 OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs made a return trip to the playoffs for the second consecutive year last season after finishing as the district runners-up. Now they’re looking to have a breakthrough as a favorite for the district crown.

And leading the way is Baumgart, the reigning district Offensive Most Valuable Player. But he’s not the only weapon for coach Kiser’s team. Kiser’s son, Derek, is back at guard, and Mardis, Hafley and Parisher will be counted on to contribute.

“We have a number of returning lettermen, which should give us plenty of varsity experience,” Roy Kiser said. “However, experience alone won’t be good enough in this district.”

The Bulldogs will need reserves to step in and give quality minutes during each contest. And Kiser believes the district will continue its tradition of being very difficult for its squads.

“Every team will be much improved over last year,” he said. “We are working hard to develop our team chemistry and get ourselves ready for the challenges of the season.”

LLANO YELLOW JACKETS

HEAD COACH: Aidan Callahan; DISTRICT: 8-3A; 2012-13 RECORD: 16-16 overall and 3-7 in district

RETURNERS: Layton Rabb, Isaac Hutto, Sawyer Stiles, Taylor Sorensen, Eli Tiffin and Chance Ware

HOME OPENER: San Antonio Lutheran at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Llano Gym, 2509 Texas 16 South

2013 OUTLOOK: In his first season guiding the Yellow Jackets in 2012, Callahan accomplished what his predecessors could not: a respectable record. Going into district play last season, Llano had a winning record, but the strength of the division members was simply too much. The Jackets swept Brownwood in both meetings and split games with Lampasas.

This year’s team will revolve around seniors Rabb and Hutto, who are both taller than 6 feet. At 6-5, Rabb will handle the point-guard duties and is used to distributing the ball thanks to being the football team’s quarterback. Hutto will be a post.

Llano also will rely on newcomers Kasin Riley, a post, and Joey Albor, a three-point specialist, to help the team challenge for a playoff berth. The squad, however, will have to overcome the losses of Matt Center and Kohner Fogelberg to graduation and Ross Henry, who transferred.

Burnet, Liberty Hill and Gatesville are expected to be in the mix for the district crown; however, four playoff spots are available this season.

FAITH ACADEMY FLAMES

HEAD COACH: Randy Denton; DISTRICT: 5-2A of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools; 2012-13 RECORD: 12-13 overall and 6-4 in district

RETURNERS: Rich Coleman, Alex De Fily, Ozzy Gastineau, Luke Hering and Jacob Metcalf

NEWCOMERS: Kameron Alderman, Gavin Henderson, Joshua Griffin and Hanner Shipley

HOME OPENER: Lometa at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at The Fire Pit, three miles east of Marble Falls off RR 1431

2013 OUTLOOK: The Flames are looking to build on their most successful season last year. Faith qualified for the playoffs for the second time in the history of the program but earned a winning district record under the guidance of head coach Randy Denton in his first year coaching the team.

Denton braced for a long and successful football run by the Flames. So he chose to start his season in December. The academy’s athletic department doesn’t allow basketball to start its season until the football team’s year has ended.

“I knew the football team was going to be good,” he said. “Looking at our roster and what we had and who was coming, it didn’t make any sense to start (playing games) in November.”

But that doesn’t mean the Flames haven’t been practicing. They started toward the end of October, he said.

“We were trying to work on fundamentals,” he said.

While the Flames relied heavily on their guards and forwards a year ago, Denton said he believes the posts will lead the way this season thanks to Shipley, Manley and Joseph Woods. All three are taller than 6 feet.

“We’ll rely more on rebounding and inside play,” he said.

As for the district race, Denton said Waco Vanguard, which advanced to the state tournament in the 2012-13 season, is the favorite followed by Temple Central Texas Christian and Faith.

jfierro@thepicayune.com