Horsemen start season off in excellent condition
<p>Horseman senior Brady Ovitt's size is predicted to be an advantage to the basketball team this year.</p>
PLAINS – With the beginning of basketball season underway, the Horsemen impressed their coach this year, returning in better shape than ever.
Russ Baker, in his second year as head coach, said the team already looks better than they did at the end of last season – a huge bonus.
“They are coming along pretty good – it’s pretty impressive,” said Coach Baker.
Last year the coach said he was rather unimpressed with his team but this year looks to be a whole new ball game.
Plains has three returning starters this season – Kyle Revier, Aaron Baker and Wyatt Winebrenner. All three are expected to have a good season.
Coach Baker said Brady Ovitt’s size will be a good addition to the team as well.
A fourth force on the team was expected to add to the dynamic, however, due to ineligibility the player will be out until after Christmas.
The team has a pretty even spread of grades with five seniors, six juniors, four sophomores and six freshmen, with 21 players in all.
The large number of players will add some variety to the roster this year.
So far the team has been working on defense, an area that they lacked in last year.
“That’s our emphasis this year,” said Coach Baker.
The goal is to tighten the defense and continue improving in that area.
Their first competition will be at the Sanders County Tip-Off Tournament and Coach Baker believes they’ll match up well against the other teams.
The Horsemen will be facing off Noxon – a team that should be on the same playing field. According to Coach Baker, Oliver Grupenhoff will be their biggest threat.
Plains played the Red Devils this summer and although Noxon has seemed to lose quite a bit of kids to graduation, Coach Baker believes Grupenhoff will help put more competition on the table.
Last year Plains won only a few games but with their impressive status at the beginning of the season, the hope is to further that this year.
According to Coach Baker, the conference should be a pretty level playing field this season, with the exception of Bigfork leading the pack. .
“Everyone else is pretty even,” said Coach Baker.
The team and their coach are looking forward to what the season has to offer.
“I think they’ll be a fun team to watch,” said Coach Baker. “They should be good.”