Following a season in which they went 11-15 overall and fell in the first round of the Central, Group 2 tournament, the Pirates boy’s basketball squad will look for renewed energy when the 2015-2016 season gets underway tonight at home.
Cinnaminson’s season came to an end with a three-point loss to Manasquan, 54-51, in the first round of the Central, Group 2 tourney last year.
With a mix of returners, key newcomers and seven seniors; the Pirates have plenty of talent to contend for a Freedom Division title this season, while also gearing up for a deep playoff run.
Head coach Mike Fries and his staff have been preaching trust since day one of the pre-season.
“Trust each other. The biggest key this year is trust one another, work together and share the basketball. If they do that, they can do outstanding things this year.”
Fries hit on the biggest thing the team needs to improve on from last season.
“The biggest thing from last year to this year is taking care of the basketball. Last year, we turned the ball over way too much. In our first pre-season game we took care of the ball. We had four quality guards starting and one big guy. We want to take care of the ball and just share that basketball.”
Fries also hit on improving free throw shooting this season.
“We were horrendous from the free throw line. There were a lot of games we lost last year because of free throws. Bordentown last year, one of the top teams around, we missed 20 free throws at home. You miss 20 free throws anywhere you’re not going to beat anybody. We’re focusing on free throws and taking care of the basketball.”
Outside of the normal rivalry games with Holy Cross, Delran, Palmyra and Moorestown, Cinnaminson looks forward to playing in the Jeff Cooney Classic at Rancocas Valley.
“We go to R.V. to play Haddonfield,” Fries said. “That’s a showcase and I know the guys are looking forward to that. We look forward to R.V. coming here and going to Cherry Hill West and playing them.”
The team is laden with multi-sport athletes, with quite a few coming from boy’s soccer and football.
“It’s huge. I count on their leadership coming over because they have that bad taste in their mouths from losing those playoff games from both squads,” Fries said.
“They want to compete here now and try to win something. The soccer players came over in shape, ready to go. The football players came over the same way. They just bring the confidence and the younger players feed off that.”
Finding a way to mesh varying levels of experience into a cohesive unit will not only be left up to the coaches.
“They have to trust each other. Not only them trusting each other, the coaches, we have to trust them as well,” Fries said.
“It starts in practice. Sean Christian played all JV last year and sat varsity. He’s come in and done a phenomenal job. We are going to be counting on him a lot. Andrew Tate and the freshman JP Rickus. They are going to have to grow quick mentally because its a difference going from JV to varsity.”
Fries likes the transition game his guys run on the court.
“Getting the ball up the floor quick and looking to score easy buckets. As far as our motion offense, just trusting each other out there and looking for each other. We are going to count on our man-to-man defense, staying out of foul trouble, and making the other team make mistakes.”
The 2015-2016 season opens tonight at home as Riverside visits for a 6:15 tip-off. Cinn City Sports will have live coverage of the opener. Be sure to follow us on Twitter for all of the action.
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