Media day photos by Cody Ottinger and Kara Raeth | CatchMark
Hart’s 2021-22 boys basketball team attended the VanDyk Mortgage West Michigan Conference media day on Wednesday, Nov. 24, at the Viking Athletic Center (VAC) in Whitehall.
Check out the photos above, and continue reading for a season preview on the Pirates:
COACH: Adam Jerry (7th season).
LAST YEAR’S RECORDS: 5-13 overall (2-11 West Michigan Conference, 7th place).
RETURNING STARTERS: Parker Hovey (Junior, Guard/Forward, 6-3); Jake VanderWilk (Senior, Forward, 6-3); Tony Rayo (Junior, Guard, 5-11); Kohen Porter (Senior, Guard, 5-10).
KEY RETURNEE: Kody Charron (Senior, Center, 6-5).
NEW PROSPECTS: Caleb Bitely (Junior, Guard, 5-11); Wyatt Dean (Junior, Guard, 5-10); Diego Escamilla (Junior, Guard, 5-10).
STRENGTHS: The Pirates lost only two seniors from last season, so there will be a lot of experienced returnees with plenty of varsity minutes under their belts. In addition, new junior prospects will complement the veteran roster.
WEAKNESSES: Lack of defensive aggression and passive play will be something Hart has to keep an eye on this season.
SEASON OUTLOOK: The Pirates return a wealth of experience as four of their starters are back from last season. Hovey averaged 12 points per game as a sophomore and is expected to be Hart’s offensive leader once again after some hard work in the offseason.
As Jerry begins his seven season as the Pirates coach, he feels like his program is headed in the right direction.
“We’ve only lost two seniors from last year,” he said. “We have a ton of guys with returning minutes and experience. We are getting a bunch of guys from a very successful JV team as well.”
Hart will look to climb the conference ladder and enter into the top half of the standings this season.
“I think we have a great basketball league,” Jerry said. “There is a bunch of solid returning players. It really is a ‘no nights off’ kind of league.”
