After graduating over half of their scoring, the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge boys basketball team will return their top scorer but will look for more pieces along with an energy-filled coach.
LCC boys basketball will have 18 on the roaster for the 2024-25 season.
Quin Conner is in his seventh year of education and his second year as the Activities Director with LCC.
Coach Conner was an assistant varsity coach for two years at Conestoga followed by head varsity coach at Maxwell for three years. Last year was his first year with LCC again serving as the activities director.
The team went through an intense week of conditioning that was optional where 17 guys attended all five days of getting their lungs back in it.
Coach Conner said the LCC boys went through eight practices in five days the first week of as several members of the team were also busy with one act and FFA.
“All those things said I was very pleased with their effort,” said Conner. “The ability to learn and lot of stuff we’re doing is stuff they’ve never done. To see that and kind of take it head on and be positive with everything they’ve done was good to see.”
Coach Conner will be joined by returning assistant coach Alan Gottula.
The five seniors will be Caleb Erwin, Carter Korth, Gibson Roberts, Eli Haisch and Connor Korth.
Coach Conner added it’s been good to see the upper and underclassmen meshing.
“The big thing with having five seniors, especially when you have a new system and a new coach, is they’re able to obviously learn fresh and new as everybody is,” Conner added. “But then kind of pass that down to the younger guys. Just having more than one guy, having five to kind of all offer pieces of leadership and teaching the younger guys and kind of just learning quicker on the job since they’re a little bit older.”
Last year, LCC finished 13-13.
The Bears will return their leading scorer from last season being Roberts who produced 14.9 points per game and 2.3 steals per game. The next four leading scorers were seniors a year ago.
Another player highlighted included sophomore Cade Johnson at the post position while players with returning starting experience are Roberts, Haisch and Connor Korth.
The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge boys hosted Guardian Angels Central Catholic on Tuesday, November 26 during a Jamboree.
Coach Conner mentioned the effort was there.
“We executed a couple things that I thought were good to see,” Conner mentioned. “We needed a lot more work on offense but with a few practices before you kind of throw them into that game setting; it’s kind of always that way. I thought they played hard for 32 minutes and competed on that end. Kind of show the kids of this is what you did good, this is what you did bad and things we can work on.”
The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge boys basketball team will open their season at Creighton on Thursday, December 5. JV action will start at 4 p.m. with girls varsity also in play.
LCC will be competing in the first-ever Greater Northeast Activities Conference (GNAC).
Coach Conner has been bringing additional effort while getting after his players and also being an energy-filled coach.
“I like to think that I push that into my players a little bit,” said Conner. “So, just having that energy and excitement and translating that to hard work and competitiveness on the court. That’s 1-18 not just the guys that are involved on the court. Usually that translates to some success. So, just playing hard and being able to compete.”
The Bears will also be visiting Crofton on Friday, December 6 with JV action beginning at 4:30 p.m.
