Hot Springs bball

Danielle Switalski

After a solid year, The Hot Springs boys’ basketball team is ready for another shot at Divisonals having taken 3rd in District last season and making it to the Divisional tournament.

Only 14 kids came out for basketball this year, a lot of them new faces with fifteen freshman, including new Head Coach Ricky Depoe.  Two starters are returning from last year including senior and power forward Riley Winebrenner and junior Cody Hoff.  Trevor Bass, who was a strong off-the-bench player is also back this season.

Although the team lost a lot of size from last year, DePoe is confident that they will make up for their lack of height in speed.  Because of their shorter team, DePoe does not think the team will have the size to match up in man to man defense, but they will be ready to utilize both zone and man to man depending on the team they are playing.

“It’ll be a speed offense, a lot of up and down, and we will be big on presses, this is kind of our first full week of practice and we’re just getting everyone accustomed to it,” said DePoe who added it will be all about their speed and beating their opponents on breakaways and quick transitions to score their points.

Hot Springs is looking at Charlo to be their toughest competition this season in their District.  They are also looking at their first game of the season against Thompson Falls, who they haven’t met on the court in a few years, at the Sanders County Tournament the weekend of the 11 and 12.

“I think it will be good, we haven’t played them (TFalls) in a few years, and the kids are excited that they have someone new to play instead of the same old bunch of teams, it will be interesting to see what happens,” said DePoe.