Underclassmen dominate Amherst Regional boys basketball team
1
2
3
The Amherst Regional boys basketball team is in an odd situation. For the first time in a long time, seniors do not dominate the roster.
"It's an unusually small senior class," said Amherst coach Jim Matuszko, who is entering his 14th season. "It's a building year for sure."
Normally a very experienced team, the squad only has three seniors, two of whom have varsity experience.
"A lot of kids are going down to one sport," said Matuszko, who had 45 players try out for the team. "Kids used to play two or three (sports) and now they're going down to one. And to be honest I think the fees (over $200) are holding back some kids from playing multiple sports."
Actually, when the season starts the team will be down to one experienced senior. Josh Whitaker, Amherst's 6-foot-3 starting forward, will be sideline until January following hamstring surgery in July.
"He's rehabbing now," Matuszko said. "He's supposedly a month ahead of schedule. He's lost weight and is in better shape than he was at the end of the season. He's attitude is fantastic and I think he's really excited about getting back on the floor. He's been at the tryouts and encouraging everybody. I think he's trying to prove he can lead the team and he's got some kids who will listen to him."
Whitaker averaged 8.5 points per game last season and will be counted on to help on both ends of the floor when he returns.
"You're not going to push him to lose him again. Whenever he feels he's ready and the physicians and therapists [feel he's ready] is when we'll play him," Matuszko said. "Even then I'll be hesitant about pushing him too much. Even if they give us the green light we'll use him sparingly to try to have him for the rest of the season."
The other senior is Tchuijo Nkamebo. The 6-foot-3 forward/center is a strong defender and rebounder with excellent leaping ability.
"He's a type of kid who's going to get you some garbage points. That's sometimes what you need. That was my game growing up and in high school," said Matuszko, an Amherst alum. "He'll be a great defender for us, clean up around the boards for us. Anything other than that is a bonus."
The team does have a large junior class with seven players. One sophomore and one senior make nine inexperienced newcomers.
"Talent-wise it's not as good as last year's [team] but the chemistry is going to be better," Matuszko said. "Kids like each other and want to win as a team. That will make a big difference."
Leading the junior class is Norris Cuevas-Nova, who transferred from Sci-Tech where he was a backup guard. Fahmi Farah, whose brother Farah Farah also played for Matuszko, and James Sowers, gives the Hurricanes solid guard play.
Tim Cook, a 6-foot-2 post player, and the 6-5 Reed Bixby add size in the paint. Cook's brother Mike Jeneralczuk was a senior last season.
"He's big like Mike but a little further advanced as a tenth-grader than Mike was as a tenth-grader I think," Matuszko said. "He'll help especially in the beginning until Josh gets back."
Junior forwards Sam Hird, Tom Naughton and Tyler Peak, and senior Marcus Rivera will look to contribute.
At some point during the season Matuszko could also play some talented freshman. The last freshman to receive quality minutes on varsity for Amherst was Bayete Gordon during the 1996-1997 season. Mike Hixon made varsity in 2008 but chose to concentrate on diving. Hixon is now one off the top divers in his age group in the country.
"We do have a good strong freshman class," Matuszko said. "We may have a couple of those kids playing up for the first time in a while. Right now we just don't know."
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com.
