Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season

Subhead

Starting Line-Up Includes Three New Faces, Solid Experience

Image
  • Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
    Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
  • Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
    Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
  • Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
    Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
  • Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
    Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
  • Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
    Blue Devils Ready To Jump Into New Season
Body

Despite the loss of four starters to graduation last year, Cordell Blue Devils head coach Brandon Gallagher is looking forward to this season and the experience his younger players bring to the court. This year’s starting five includes two seniors who split the starts last season in Gaige Keister and Carsen Nickel. Gallagher will also be starting juniors Brady Reimer, Raydon Kuehne, and Bode Gallagher, all of whom played quality minutes from the bench last season.

When asked about the loss of last year’s starting seniors, Gallagher said he thought some people might be doubting his team will be as good as last year’s squad, but his guys don’t feel that way.

“We all definitely have something to prove,” he said. “But the guys have been working hard and they all get along pretty well, and that makes it fun,” he said.

In addition to his starting five, Gallagher also has a strong cadre of reserves on the bench, although one, Cade Walker, is out due to a football injury and another, Dawson Willard, is still recovering from knee surgery due to an injury last year.

Gallagher said his team is strong and ready, and has two strong advantages heading into the season.

“First, our roles are pretty well defined,” he said. “Each players knows what he’s supposed to do. The other thing is that we’re kind of tall and lanky. That’s going to help us a lot on the defense and rebounding.”

In addition to the personnel changes, Gallagher’s coaching staff has changed. Former assistant Jake Weiderstein left Cordell during the summer, so Gallagher added former girls’ basketball assistant David Harmon to the bench.

All in all, Gallagher is looking forward to a good season for the Blue Devils.

“It’s going to be a good season,” he said. “The guys have been working hard and they’re excited to get out on the court.”

The Blue Devils’ season started last night against Merritt. Next week’s Cordell Beacon will have complete coverage. Next week, the boys tip off at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Minco at home and then travel to Hobart to battle the Bearcats on Friday, also at 6:30 p.m.