Archive: Sports

High School basketball is fascinating to follow from season to season.  The athletes grow in height, some hone their skills attending summer basketball camps or playing in travel or AAU leagues and then the senior class graduates and new players move up from Modified or JV.  There is a 'new' team feel at the beginning of every season and coaches rely on the leadership of the team Captain's to help individual players synergize as a new team.  "Commit to the Process" can be found on the back of the new Varsity shirts which signifies the expectation of all the players this season.

For the Lansing Varsity Boys' basketball team, there are not only new athletes on the Varsity team this year, but the former Lansing Girls' Basketball Varsity coach, Stuart Dean is now Head Coach for the boys. In January of 2013, Coach Dean celebrated his 500th win and the Varsity Boys have already added to his coaching legacy.  The 2015/16 Varsity players are Tyler Ayers, Zach Detrick (Captain), Eric Eastman, Nate Fleishman, Matt Gonyea, Josh Miller-LaBar (Captain), Justin Larkin, Chris Robinson, Zack Walker, Tanner Winslow, and Karsten Zuidema.

Both the Varsity and JV teams participated in the 1st Annual Moravia Tip Off Tournament in November.  The JV team, coached again by Jordan Smith,  landed 1st place with Joe Miller-LaBar attaining 28 points in the Championship game and the JV tournament MVP award.  Varsity advanced to the finals after defeating Thomas Edison, but finished 2nd against Moravia's well-oiled team.  Senior captain, Zach Detrick was honored with the All-Tournament Team award.

The first Bobcats home game was against Southern Cayuga on December 2nd.  JV lost; Varsity won 58-48. Detrick led with 18 points and 4 assists.  Senior Captain, Josh Miller-LaBar added 15 points and 4 assists and Junior Center, Karsten Zuidema contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds.  Zach Barreto led Southern Cayuga with 24 points.

The first away games against Moravia resulted in losses for both the JV and Varsity teams.  Joe Miller-LaBar and Mason Boothe each brought 10 points to the JV game with Garrett Bell, Matt Rebera, and Luke Winslow adding to the score.  Josh Miller-LaBar led the Bobcats Varsity game with 12 points and 7 rebounds and Detrick added 11 points.  Rounding out the score were Eric Eastman, Chris Robinson, Zack Walker and Tanner Winslow.  Joe Peppe led Moravia Varsity with 14 points.

JV won against Dryden on December 11th 45-31.  Mason Boothe led with 14 points and Matt Rebera had 10.  Keegan Gaesin led Dryden with 12 points.    Varsity Junior Zack Walker and Josh Miller-LaBar both brought in 10 points against Dryden, but it was not enough for Varsity to sustain a win.  Dryden's 6'7" senior, Ali Abel-Ferretti led Dryden with 20 points.

Last year, the Varsity Bobcats ended the season 4th in the North Large at a 6-9 record.  The Bobcats last division championship was in 2013-2014, last IAC Championship for the Bobcats was in 2007-08, and last Section 4 championship in 1976-77.

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