Atascocita Observer - Sports
Atascocita gets ready for long haul with talented group
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| Atascocita center Everett Pleasant will need to provide a solid scoring presence in the post if the Eagles are to make a deep playoff run. |
By STEPHEN WHITFIELD
If there’s one thing the Atascocita boys basketball team is not short on, it’s potential.
On any given night, the Eagles have enough talent to compete with any team out there, and with such powerhouses as Stratford and Hightower on the non-district schedule, Atascocita will have plenty of chances to show off that talent.
But the one area where the Eagles are lacking is experience. As the season goes along, Eagles fans may have to brace for a season full of growing pains.
Atascocita has five seniors listed on its roster, but only one of them – guard Matt Evans – is expected to contribute significantly. Eagles head coach John Castles said he thinks a season’s worth of experience will be good for his younger players.
“It’s going to be good for us,” Castles said. “We’ve got to keep learning from all our experiences, good and bad.”
Though the Eagles technically run a motion-based offense, Castles said he wants his players to run a more free-flowing style that allows them to make their own decisions on the court.
With that type of system in place, the point guard is of the utmost importance, and Atascocita has a keeper in Jamal Branch. Just a sophomore, Branch has already been recruited by some of the most prominent collegiate basketball programs in the country. Branch is unofficially committed to Texas A&M University, but he cannot sign an official letter of intent until February 2011.
Castles said Branch is the key to his team’s attack.
“Jamal does a great job,” he said. “He’s our leader. He gets to the gym early, leaves late and does a very good job of doing all the little things we need from him.”
Another big contributor will be sophomore center Everett Pleasant. Pleasant, a receiver on the football team, should be in good shape after helping the Eagles to its first postseason berth in football this year.
With Branch and Pleasant leading the offense, the Eagles should be stable on offense. The main question will be whether or not Atascocita can establish a balanced all-around attack. Castles said he thinks his team can improve on defense.
“We’re pretty balanced,” Castles said. “Obviously, I’d like to be better at both. I’m more of a defensive-minded guy, but we’re going to get there. As long as we can take that approach we’ll get better on the defensive end.”
The schedule will be tough for Atascocita, both in non-district and in district, but Castles said he will be fine with whatever results his team puts up as long as he sees growth throughout the season.
“I want to see growth and improvement,” Castles said. “I want us to get better any time we step on the floor. When you play guys who are young and inexperienced, sometimes they stop playing and zone out for a second. I want us to keep getting better as the season goes on.”
Atascocita Boys Basketball 2008-2009 schedule
Date Opponent Time
Dec. 2 Dobie 7 p.m.
Dec. 9 Morton Ranch 7 p.m.
Dec. 11-13 Cy-Fair Tournament TBA
Dec. 19 Aldine* 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 29-30 Conroe Tournament TBA
Jan. 2 Nimitz* 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 North Shore 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 Eisenhower* 7 p.m.
Jan. 13 Conroe 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 Kingwood* 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 MacArthur* 7 p.m.
Jan. 23 Humble* 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 Nimitz* 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 Aldine* 7 p.m.
Feb. 6 Eisenhower* 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 Kingwood* 7 p.m.
Feb. 13 MacArthur* 7 p.m.
Feb. 17 Humble* 7 p.m.
home games in bold
* denotes District 19-5A games
Looking for more?
The Humble boys basketball preview is currently available on our website, www.atascocitaobserver.com, and will run in next week’s edition of The Observer.
On any given night, the Eagles have enough talent to compete with any team out there, and with such powerhouses as Stratford and Hightower on the non-district schedule, Atascocita will have plenty of chances to show off that talent.
But the one area where the Eagles are lacking is experience. As the season goes along, Eagles fans may have to brace for a season full of growing pains.
Atascocita has five seniors listed on its roster, but only one of them – guard Matt Evans – is expected to contribute significantly. Eagles head coach John Castles said he thinks a season’s worth of experience will be good for his younger players.
“It’s going to be good for us,” Castles said. “We’ve got to keep learning from all our experiences, good and bad.”
Though the Eagles technically run a motion-based offense, Castles said he wants his players to run a more free-flowing style that allows them to make their own decisions on the court.
With that type of system in place, the point guard is of the utmost importance, and Atascocita has a keeper in Jamal Branch. Just a sophomore, Branch has already been recruited by some of the most prominent collegiate basketball programs in the country. Branch is unofficially committed to Texas A&M University, but he cannot sign an official letter of intent until February 2011.
Castles said Branch is the key to his team’s attack.
“Jamal does a great job,” he said. “He’s our leader. He gets to the gym early, leaves late and does a very good job of doing all the little things we need from him.”
Another big contributor will be sophomore center Everett Pleasant. Pleasant, a receiver on the football team, should be in good shape after helping the Eagles to its first postseason berth in football this year.
With Branch and Pleasant leading the offense, the Eagles should be stable on offense. The main question will be whether or not Atascocita can establish a balanced all-around attack. Castles said he thinks his team can improve on defense.
“We’re pretty balanced,” Castles said. “Obviously, I’d like to be better at both. I’m more of a defensive-minded guy, but we’re going to get there. As long as we can take that approach we’ll get better on the defensive end.”
The schedule will be tough for Atascocita, both in non-district and in district, but Castles said he will be fine with whatever results his team puts up as long as he sees growth throughout the season.
“I want to see growth and improvement,” Castles said. “I want us to get better any time we step on the floor. When you play guys who are young and inexperienced, sometimes they stop playing and zone out for a second. I want us to keep getting better as the season goes on.”
Atascocita Boys Basketball 2008-2009 schedule
Date Opponent Time
Dec. 2 Dobie 7 p.m.
Dec. 9 Morton Ranch 7 p.m.
Dec. 11-13 Cy-Fair Tournament TBA
Dec. 19 Aldine* 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 29-30 Conroe Tournament TBA
Jan. 2 Nimitz* 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 North Shore 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 Eisenhower* 7 p.m.
Jan. 13 Conroe 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 Kingwood* 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 MacArthur* 7 p.m.
Jan. 23 Humble* 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 Nimitz* 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 Aldine* 7 p.m.
Feb. 6 Eisenhower* 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 Kingwood* 7 p.m.
Feb. 13 MacArthur* 7 p.m.
Feb. 17 Humble* 7 p.m.
home games in bold
* denotes District 19-5A games
Looking for more?
The Humble boys basketball preview is currently available on our website, www.atascocitaobserver.com, and will run in next week’s edition of The Observer.
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