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For the past month, the core members of the Cook County boys’ basketball team have been traveling to the University of Wisconsin-Superior to compete in a summer basketball league. Each Sunday, the Vikings go down and compete in two games against other Northeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin schools. 22 schools in total are in the league.
I have been asked numerous times in the closing months of the school year and this summer about how different the team will be without the likes of Miles Drake, Sammy Warren, Casey Everson, Cody Everson, and Taylor Baham. Yes, we are losing all five incredible starters of a 19-5 team, but now it is time for a new group of Vikings to make their own mark. While I have great relationships with the five men graduating, it is time to focus on our future.
Next year’s seniors who have been going to UWS are point guard Brock Hommerding, shooting guard James Groth, and center Mike Austin. Theyhave the difficult task of taking on the leadership roles of a new and young team. So far, I really like what I have seen. Hommerding, in true point guard fashion, organizes the guys each week and makes sure everyone knows when we are leaving, who is driving, and how many cars he intends to pass on the North Shore while driving to the game.
On the court, Hommerding is incredibly fast and quick. He will need to be in the best shape of his life before the season starts so we can use his speed for as long as his legs can go. Groth is a quality scorer and solid outside shooter. With improved defense, Groth could become a great allaround guard. Mike Austin’s 6’5" presence in the middle is nice to have. Once he becomes grounded in the fundamentals, he could be tough to stop inside.
Juniors Ryan Martinson and Cameron Dockan have also shown unlimited potential. Martinson has a knack for scoring and Dockan is very quick and could become very effective on both ends of the court. Junior Will Petty also lends some quality leadership to the mix and is a valuable asset off the bench. His insight and smarts are going to make him a key player for us in the winter.
Sophomore Dylan Quaife has shown great signs of potential and seems to get more comfortable on the court with each game. His incredible strength and quickness could help him develop into one of the better forwards in the conference. Sophomore guard Mike Sjogren is also playing very well and is one of those players whom a coach always seems to trust. You know that when he goes into the game that he is always going to give you everything he has.
Rounding out the ten players going to UWS every Sunday are freshmen guards Kale Boomer and Colin Everson. Both players have a very high basketball IQ for their age and I think we will see a lot of exciting things from them both this winter. Overall strength is always a concern at this age, but both players are fully committed to getting better. Just this last week, both Boomer and Everson left UWS and went directly to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for a four-day basketball camp.
As a team, we must work on our overall strength. Time in the weight room will be crucial to our success as rebounding has been tough for us this summer with a lack of overall team strength. Overall, however, we have a very fine group of young men committed to the basketball program. They will get to know each other more and more as they play together more and more often.
The Vikings are currently 5-3 and have one final week of competition remaining. They will be competing in the final playoff bracket that decides the overall champion for the UWS summer league.
As a coach, I am very excited for the future of Cook County basketball. As a person, I am very proud of the young men who have made the commitment to their teammates to get better. While fans and friends may compare this group to their predecessors, I will have my heart focused on working with this great group of young men.
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