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2004-05 Cougar Outlook Five of the top seven scorers from last year's 22-8 Co-Championship team are gone. The departure of All League performers Larry Weller (10.1) and Jamie Smith (13.2) leave the Cougars with only one double-figure scorer, First Team All League, All State, and All Region performer, Darrahyl Brown, back. With 81% of last season's offensive production (63.5 points of the 78.3 points per game averaged), the Cougars, at least on paper, look to be in the throes of a rebuilding year. An accurate assessment of this year's Cougar squad, however, is perhaps even more difficult than it was last year at this time. Some of the same early observations can be made of this current team. The Cougars lack size and are not a real physical bunch, yet they have good speed and quickness at several positions. Former hot-shooting guard, Gerald Fletcher, now playing for Tri-State University, leaves a void in perimeter shooting. In addition, departed point guards Arthur Price and B. J. Jameson, force KVCC to go with inexperience at a key leadership position. And last year's super-sub and Instant Offense, David Stephens, along with steady Ace Willhite leave big gaps to be filled if the Cougars are to have another good year. Darrahyl Brown, at 6'5", 170, will again be counted upon heavily to provide solid offense, stellar rebounding, and consistent defense for the Cougars. Helping him on the boards will be Darre Johnson, a first year player from Wayne Memorial HS in Detroit. Darre is slender but has displayed excellent quickness in early practices. At 6'6" and 200 pounds, an exchange student from Scotland by way of Pennfield HS, Gareth Murray, will be counted upon to provide rebounding and scoring on the new Cougar squad. The team's two tallest players, Mike Zuiderveen (6'9" from Kalamazoo Christian HS) and Mike Deemer (6'8" from Centreville HS) are working hard to adjust to the rigorous contact in college basketball, and with continued development, may contribute significantly this season. Three other returnees that should see ample action are Quincy Bell (Mattawan), Lorne Johnson (Ypsilanti), and Adam Kerfoot, (Gaylord St. Mary's). All of these sophomore combo guards have impressed early with their defense especially, but also with their steady improvement on offense. All three may be asked to play the point spot along with their more natural position of scoring guard. Other key newcomers are point guard Michael Reith (Wooster, OH), and Portage Central's Dirail Flenorl, II. Slowly overcoming a severe ankle injury sustained the day before practice started in October, Michael is beginning to show the promise of good things to come as he works into the rotation. Dirail is one of many good jumpers on the team. His slender physique is offset by his intelligent, steady, fundamental play. He picks things up quickly, and his development will be a key to the amount of success this team can achieve. New guards that could surprise are Daniel Ward (Dowagiac Union HS), Bryan Davis (South Bend Washington HS), Matt Quinn (Philadelphia, PA), and Larry Simpson (Grand Rapids Creston HS). Daniel is an explosive scorer that is working to get back into shape after having a painful appendix attack and resultant removal. Bryan has a great attitude and is perhaps one of our best point defenders; Matt is a lefty with a deft outside shooting touch; and Larry is one of our quicker guards that just needs some experience and strength to see his game advance by leaps and bounds. Alan Robinson 6'4", 220, (St. Joseph HS) is a wide-body forward that may decide to red-shirt after undergoing knee surgery on November 11. Justin Matthews 6'3" swingman from Vicksburg, has re-joined the team after last season, and should regain eligibility by the start of the league season in January. Coach Shilts' Comments: "I think the key to our season will be the extent to which we can achieve the chemistry necessary for success at this level. We will not be as talented as many of our opponents, but I think we have good quickness by comparison. Our ability to jell on offense and to come together on defense will determine how close we come to being the best we can be." "I like the caring and togetherness of this team so far, and I am hopeful that great character will provide us with an exciting season. Biggest concerns as far as the scoreboard go, are the ability to rebound against bigger and stronger opponents, and the cohesiveness of our defensive effort. We should have pretty good depth, which could be a key factor for any success we might be able to achieve. We are working hard toward becoming a good league team." "Our early focus has been on becoming 'Men Built for Others' on and off the court. This year we will have ample challenges to stretch our maturity and character together. Twenty years from now one will be able to see how 'successful' our season really was. By that time we will know if the experiences we will share together this season actually helped each of us to become better citizens, better fathers, better husbands, and better friends to others. I'm optimistic about the great potential I see in this area for this group of young men. I'm also excited about what I have already seen take place in the few short weeks we have worked together."
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