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2020-21 Karns City Boys’ Basketball Preview Powered by Potter County Family Campground

Chase Beighley, Sr., Forward. Photo by Mary Rearick
            

Karns City Gremlins

                  

Head coach: Chris Bellis

2019-20 Record: 13-9

Playoffs: Lost to Clarion, 54-48, in District 9 Class 2A Quarterfinals.

Top returning players: Chase Beighley (Sr., G, 24.3 ppg (led D9), 6.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 3.2 spg, Shot 49.1 percent from the field and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line, 1,201 career points, Preseason D9and10Sports.com All-District 9 Selection, First-team All-District 9 as a junior), Nathan Waltman (Sr., F, 11.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg in just 9 games due to injuries), Micah Rupp (So. F, 8.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 3.1 bpg, Shot 56 percent from the field; District 9 Rookie of the Year as a freshman), Luke Garing (Jr., F, 3.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg).

                                      

Top players lost: Ethan McElroy (10.5 ppg), Caiden Corbett (5.5 ppg).

Key newcomers: Cole Sherwin (Jr., G), Eric Booher (So., G), Luke Cramer (Fr., G), Taite Beighley (Fr., G). All of our newcomers are good shooters and handle the ball well. They each bring their own skill-set to our team. Our success will depend on how well they mesh with the experienced players on our team.

Keys to the season: The key to our success will be the development of team chemistry and learning each player’s specific role within the team. Our top eight players consist of two Seniors, two Juniors, two Sophomores, and two freshmen. They played on three different teams last year (Varsity, JV, and Jr. High). Combining that with a limited offseason and the recent shut-down, our kids just haven’t had much time to play basketball together. Our team has a lot of potential and could be very successful if we are able to develop that important team chemistry.

Things your team was doing during the COVID-19 pause of winter sports: Our kids are wearing masks, sanitizing basketballs, practicing social distancing during water breaks, and following any other direction from our school district to handle the COVID-19 mitigation orders. During the shutdown, it was up to each student-athlete to maintain the gains we had made when we were able to practice. The key to returning to play after the shutdown will be how well each team handles adversity. There will be set-backs, how each team responds to those setbacks will determine their success. More important than that right now though, we are all happy to have the opportunity to play!

                       

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