Talent Infusion

Salem's skillful youth plus productive returners offer reason for optimism

BY ED WRIGHT
Dec. 6, 2009, 2:30 p.m.

  The numbers would be enough to make a lot of high school basketball coaches cringe: only two returning seniors and just six home games.

  But Salem head coach Bob Brodie would prefer to look at the bright side when it comes to his 26th varsity basketball team.

  And the Rocks are emitting a lot of brightness early in the 2009-10 campaign

  "I'm excited about this team," said Brodie, who lost four starters and his top four scorers to graduation. "We have a lot of youth, but the young guys have been very receptive to learning. They seem to pick things up really quickly.

  "We'll have to see how everything comes together as a team because we do have a freshman, a sophomore, a couple seniors and a lot of juniors. But it's been exciting to see them come together so far."

  The bulk of the Rocks' scoring burden will rest on the able shoulders of their lone seniors: 6-foot-2 guard Blake Hayes and 6-6 center Jake Peterson, both of whom started at least parts of last season.

  "Jake will be our go-to guy inside and Blake can really shoot the basketball," Brodie said. "Jake averaged about six points a game last year and Blake was round five a game, so they're both solid players."

  Flanking Peterson in the Rocks' starting front court will be junior Ethan Walsh and sophomore Tyler Stewart, both 6-2 forwards.

  "I think they're both going to do a really nice job for us. Ethan really does  a nice job on the glass and Tyler is a strong, solid player who had a good JV season as a freshman."

  Joining Hayes in the starting back court will be junior guard Devonta Riley, a 5-7 junior transfer from Westland John Glenn.

  "Devonta does a nice job penetrating and he's very crafty with the basketball," said Brodie. "He's kind of a streak shooter, but he can score when he's hot."

  The Rocks' bench offers more height than most teams' starting line-ups. The one-two punch of junior 6-7 Paul Classen and 6-5 freshman Terez Smith will help spell the starting front-court players when they need a breather.

  "They give us a lot of depth coming off the bench," said Brodie.

  Junior guards Jeff Cantin (5-9) and Josh Perrin (6-0) will back up Hayes and Riley.

  Other key reserves include junior forwards Scott Devine (6-0), Zinoviy Pelekh (6-3) and Rodney Polk (6-2).

  "Overall, we're fairly athletic, we're big and it looks like we can run the floor well," said Brodie. "But there are going to be times when we struggle simply because we're so young."

  The Rocks will be road warriors this winter as 14 of their 20 regular-season games are away. They open Tuesday, Dec. 15, at Redford Union. Two nights later they'll take a short bus trip to cross-campus rival Plymouth.

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.