Green: Communication is key to Truman’s success
BucksLocalSports Editor Communication is the key to winning – or so says Harry S Truman senior Merdick dreen III.
“We just have to talk to each other.
“We say to each other we have to go out there and have fun but you have to execute – play the game of basketball.”
While the Tigers kicked off their current campaign with a 9-point win over Walter Palmer Charter last Friday night in a tipoff tournament opener at home, Truman is coming off a 10-13 season (6-8 in the SO1L), a third-place finish in the Suburban One League (SOL) kational Conference and a first-round District One tournament ouster.
Despite a lot of veteran talent, the Tigers got off to a slow start last season, losing six of their first nine games. Midway through the campaign, Truman picked itself up off the floor, rebounding with five consecutive wins over William Tennent, Pennsbury, keshaminy, Abington and Council Rock South. rnfortunately, the Tigers dropped their next five, including four losses suffered at the hands of SOL kational league rivals.
While Truman won two of its last three including a closely contested battle with keshaminy – whom they beat twice last season – the Tigers staggered to the finish line with a doubledigit loss to Abington, a state qualifier in 2012.
rnfortunately, the Redskins were the only team the Tigers registered more than one win against last year and Truman was manhandled by PIAA quarterfinalist Coatesville in the opening round of districts in its last game of the season.
With graduation, the Tigers waved goodbye to nine seniors including Daquan Ashley, Mike Mintah, Dan and Tyrice Harris, who many times contributed double-digit scoring efforts to the Truman cause.
This season, the
Tigers looks like they may be relying on dreen more than ever to spark the offense. Merdic insists he has help out there on the hardwood starting with point guards gai’er Brown, a 5-8 sophomore and Brandon Amparo, a 5-8 senior.
Friday night in the opener, Amparo hit for six of his nine points on the night coming down the fourthquarter stretch including four consecutive free throws in the closing minutes of the contest.
“We have a couple surprises,” said dreen.
Still the senior admits Truman lacks vast amounts of experience on the court.
“We’re young and a lot of guys aren’t experienced like gai’er,” explained dreen. “But he’s grown over the summer and we’re teaching him to know what to do and not fold under pressure.”
Additional players for the Tigers this season include shooting guards Patrick Stone, a 5-8 junior, and Lucas Waters, a 6-foot sophomore. Marcus Palmer is a 6-foot junior who can play power forward and the big men for Truman who can play center include Shareef Clinton, a 6-6 senior and Abdul Olatunboson, a 6-4 senior
What remains to be seen is how this group melds with dreen in the current campaign. It’s all goes back to how the players interact, says Merdic.
“Last year we had a lot of dialogue off the court about who is doing this and who is doing that and who is better,” explained dreen. “This year, we’re talking a lot more on the court and it’s a lot better.”
While, the Tigers got a tremendous offensive per-
formance from dreen that included 29 points includ- ing 25-of-31 from the foul line in the season opener, Truman won the game with clamp-down defense. That’s something you can expect the Tigers to bring every night said Merdic.
“We like to get up and force the issue, make their offense work and put up a quick shot instead of just laying back and letting them run their system,” he said.
“That’s why we need to talk.”
*** UPDATEW Truman edged Holy dhost Prep Dec. 8 in comeback fashion to take the tipoff tournament trophy. The dhost led the Tigers by narrow margins after every period but the last. A 3-pointer by HST sophomore Lucas Waters drew Truman within a point (3736) in the wild and wooly fourth quarter, a stanza in which the Tigers outpaced the Firebirds 23-19. dreen followed with a steal and a layup to give Truman the lead for good.
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