Pictured are (front row from left) Jeff Cantin, Josh Perrin, Gary Andoni, Brian Smith, Markus Olind, Mikos Jones, Grant Bettner, (back row from left) head coach Bob Brodie, Tyler Stewart, Chris Dierker, Ryan Jankowski, Zinoviy Pelekh, Ethan Walsh, Josh Peterson and assistant coach Steve Aspinall.

New-look Rocks will be looking
 to push ball at a faster pace

  The upcoming season will be one of transition for Salem's boys basketball team -- both on the court and off.

  The quicker, more-athletic Rocks will be looking to push the ball more in transition with a roster that has gone through a major off-season transition period.

  "We lost four or five players who we expected to be on the team because their families moved out of the area," said veteran head coach Bob Brodie, who was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame in September.

  "Terez Smith, who was 6-foot-5 and played on the varsity as a freshman last year, moved to Trenton. We also lost his brother, Norvis, who was one of the best players on our junior-varsity team. Paul Klassen, who is 6-7, moved to Illinois; our starting point guard Devonte Riley, moved to Inkster and Rodney Polk, who we were counting on, moved to Detroit to live with his sister after his brother was shot and killed."

  The Rocks will be on the move on the hardwood this winter as they look to push the ball at an accelerated pace.

  "Offensively, we're going to be more of a fast-break team, and I like that," said senior guard Josh Perrin. "We're going to be looking to run more and not run as many sets as we did last year."

  "Defensively, I think we'll be better, too, because we're quicker," said junior Tyler Stewart, the team's leading returning scorer. "We'll be able to put more pressure on the ball."

  While Salem will miss the players who have moved on -- including graduated leading scorer Jake Peterson -- it will benefit from last season's underclassmen-heavy roster.

  "We had so many young guys who played a lot of minutes last year, it's like we're returning four or five starters," said Brodie. "Z (Zinoviy Pelekh) Tyler, Ethan (Walsh) and Josh Perrin started a lot of games, and Jeff Cantin played a lot, too, so we have a lot of returning experience."

  What does Brodie like about this year's group?

  "We're pretty athletic and we can shoot the ball a little better than last year," he said. "Scoring-wise, we'll be more versatile, too. Last year, we went to Jake a lot. This year, we'll have a lot more options."

  Cantin and Perrin will open the season as the starting back-court. Also working into the rotation will be Mikos Jones and Brian Smith, both transfers from Romulus.

  "Mikos and Brian still have to learn the system, but they're both showing a lot of athleticism," said Brodie.

  Junior Grant Bettner, one of the Rocks' best JV players last year, will also be counted on to contribute solid minutes.

  Salem will be reliant on Walsh, sophomore Chris Dierker and Pelekh to post inside numbers. Juniors Ryan Jankowski, who is 6-7, and Josh Peterson (6-5) will both figure into the post-play rotation as well.

  "We'll have a nucleus of eight or nine guys who will play quite a bit," said Brodie. "We're going to run more, so we'll need some depth."

  Salem opens its season Tuesday at home against Redford Union. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

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

Grant Bettner (right) is pictured applying some serious defense during a recent practice. (Ed Wright photo)

Chris Dierker is a high-flying sophomore forward. (Ed Wright photo)