Blue Devil Boys' BB Looks to Future
The Huntington boys' basketball team's returning players have been hard at work during the off-season, training and playing as much as possible, even during these warm summer weeks. It is part of head coach Brian Carey's plan to bring the Blue Devils to the highest competitive level possible.
Huntington compiled an overall record of 7-11 last winter in Carey's first season as the team's coach. The Blue Devils were led by graduating seniors John McCarthy and Jack Forster and underclassmen Pat Reilly and Kiernan McGovern, who will be back next winter for their final high school season.
In the aftermath of last season, Carey said that Reilly "has the potential to be the top player in 2012/13." The teenager, who plays guard, averaged 11.7 points per game for the Blue Devils. McGovern averaged 10.6 points from his guard position. Carey said that McGovern "showed consistent improvement as the season went on."
Huntington competed "in a very tough league" last season, Carey said, but "improvement was evident." The Blue Devils averaged 57.2 points per game through the first half of the 2011/12 schedule before exploding for 68 ppg during the second half of the season.
"The 'core players' worked hard," Carey said. "This led to the evolvement of a no-quit attitude. I believe we got better because the core 'bought in.'" The coach worked hard to get players to understand what it takes to be successful and to pay attention to details.
"The returning players seem committed and will have a greater understanding of what it takes to be successful," Carey said. Huntington's junior varsity team went 12-2 last winter and some of the JV's players might be able to make a contribution on the varsity level next year. Carey expects the league competition to be as strong as it was last season.