OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN EAGLES
team was competitive, they endured more than their fair share of close losses.
And while OCA has to replace seven seniors from last year’s squad, head coach Wayne Mcdonough feels confident that his returning players can take up the slack.
“So far they are looking really good,” he said. “We still have a long way to go, but we played in a ( four- team) jamboree for the very first time ( in early November) and that really helped. Having a lot of familiar faces ( on the roster) is a really good thing.”
Oakwood Christian is taking the floor this season once again armed with seven seniors.
Shooting guard Cory Taylor is a four- year varsity player who is healthy after enduring some injuries last year. Forward Noah Permenter is also back at 100 percent after being on the shelf with some injuries last season, while Garrison Baggett, another four- year starter, can play multiple positions on the floor and will be among the team leaders in scoring.
In the post, Tyler Epperson is coming off a strong summer and is expected to be a force down low, as is Philip Davis, who led the Eagles in rebounding last year. Another forward, Jacob Jones, can rebound and does a lot of the little things to help a team be successful. The final senior, Woody Hass, can play at the point or at the shooting guard spot. Hass has range from the perimeter and is also one of the team’s best defensive players.
“They’ve really taken ownership of the team,” Mcdonough said of the group. “I think we learned some lessons from last year and this senior group has taken those ( lessons) to heart. We went through some adversity last year, but I think the work that we put in last year and in the preseason will pay off. There’s nothing that this group hasn’t seen.”
In the junior class, point guard Andrew Phillips has made big strides on the defensive side and is rounding into a complete player. Another junior, Jacob Wellwood, will give the Eagles depth at the shooting guard spot. Mcdonough said Wellwood might be the team’s best overall shooter.
Two more juniors, Chase Lanham and Thomas Buckels, will both play at guard spots. Both have shown improvement since the summer and are looking to make more of an impact on the varsity roster this season after working their way up from the JV squad.
The final player on the roster, sophomore post player Caleb Epperson, got a lot of experience playing junior varsity basketball last year and Mcdonough hopes he will be able to step right in and provide valuable minutes with the varsity this season.
“I think our strengths are going to be our experience and just the fact that they know each other so well,” the coach continued. “The way they get along and just the team chemistry will be strengths and we think our defense will also be another thing to hang our hat on.”
Scott Mcspadden will serve as an assistant coach with the varsity team and will head up the JV Eagles. Oakwood now has 20 players in its boys’ basketball program and will field totally separate varsity and junior varsity teams this season.
“I think one of the keys to this season is just their togetherness on and off the court,” Mcdonough added. “One of our weaknesses the last couple of years has been not taking care of the ball, and we’re working hard to correct that. If we take care of the ball and work together, I think we’ll be in good shape.”