Coach Gary Barns and the Goodrich varsity boys basketball team are hoping to start a new winning tradition this season.
Last season, the Martians went 8-15 overall and 8-9 in the Genesee Area Conference Red Division, their first losing record in 15 years. However, the Martians return seven players from last year’s team, including five seniors, that provide a foundation for this year’s team.
Leading the way are seniors Jake Smigiel (approximately nine points per game) and Matt Christensen (approximately 10 points per game), the team’s two leading returning scorers. Smigiel and Dan Eisinger will be the team’s captains this season.
Others returning are seniors Derrick Schroeder and Dan Johns, junior Jake McGinnis and sophomore Robert Short.
They will be joined by junior varsity callups Charlie Burt, Matt Cramb and Troy Westerby (all juniors), senior Stephen Harlow, sophomore Caleb Jones and freshman Andrew Patrick on this year’s varsity.
‘We have a good junior varsity and freshman group, so the cupboard’s not bare,? Barns said.
The Martians feature one 6?5? player in McGinnis and four 6?3? players in Eisinger, Cramb, Harlow and Burt. Barns said the Martians? size and quickness should be helpful during the season, but so will the Martians? team spirit.
‘We’re working hard to get into basketball shape,? he said. ‘They pull for each other. They are what a team is about ? it doesn’t matter who’s out there, they work hard.?
The Martians will start right out of the chute with some tough competition. They open Dec. 5 against visiting Brandon (last year’s Flint Metro League champions) and then travel Dec. 9 to defending Genesee Area Conference Red Division champion Montrose.
‘We’ll find out a lot about ourselves that week,? Barns said.
After the first week of the season, the Martians get into the thick of GAC competition, taking on such league foes as Genesee, Atherton, New Lothrop and Hamady. In addition, they have a tough non-league matchup against Grand Blanc.
‘By Jan. 5 (when the Martians take on Hamady), we’ll have a good idea of what we need to improve on and where we’re going,? Barns said. ‘I think we can compete. It’s early, but whomever we play against, we’ll play very hard.?
He also said he is optimistic the Martians have the right players and right attitude to learn from last year’s situation.
As far as potential foes for the Martians in their quest for a league title, Barns said defending league champion Montrose will once again be a threat in the GAC Red, along with Lake Fenton, which features one of the conference’s top players in Ridge Warren.
In the GAC Blue Division, New Lothrop (which went undefeated in league play last season) and Hamady will be the teams to beat, Barns said.