The Panther Hoops preseason is in full swing, with many teams recruiting members and getting up shots at the YMCA. Although the tip-off date is still undetermined, League Commissioner Jay True hopes to begin in late January.
This season will look to be a new era in Panther Hoops basketball, as two dominant league forces (J.R.’s Practice Squad and Scrubs) have disbanded due to the loss of players who graduated last year. Of the two teams, there remains only one returning player for the 2018 season.
Likewise, many of the positional award winners from last year’s season have left for college intramural leagues after graduating this past June. Optimist sat down with two award winners and the lone champion to get the scoop on what might be in store for the league’s brightest.
Jackson Moore, Junior, PG, Ca$h Money
Following a season that saw Jackson Moore take home both the Panther Hoops MVP Award and the Magic Johnson Point Guard of the Year Award, it seems safe to say that any team featuring him will have legitimate title aspirations. After opting to step off the South basketball team following his freshman year to join the Ca$h Money squad, Moore was able to showcase his talents, like scoring, on the Panther Hoops court, where he unofficially averaged around 20 pts per game.
Although the team suffered from some first season woes, they were able to overcome them in the postseason and propel themselves to the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champions, the Scrubs. Moore will be back with Ca$h Money for his junior season, as will many other teammates, including juniors Charlie Abel, Alan Morris, Ben Pliske and Giovanni Alicea.
“Our team has been working hard at the Y, recently, taking part in some grueling practice games to get into good shape,” Moore said. “I like the way we’ve been looking. Charlie and I have been running the floor with confidence, and our bench has been making plays.”
Giovanni Alicea, Junior, SG, Ca$h Money
As one of the more notable players in the league last year, Alicea, better known as “G” or “Gio”, flashed signs of having top five Shooting guard potential throughout the regular season. Alicea was the recipient of the Bill Walton 6th Man of the Year Award and had several games (particularly in the postseason) where he couldn’t miss from behind the arc.
Besides his ability to catch fire at any given moment, Alicea is known for his competitive spirit and trash talk, which was ever present on and off the court. “My expectation for the season is to win it all. I would like to repeat the 6th Man of the Year Award,” Alicea said.
Alicea also spoke about his offseason training regimen that has helped get ready for the wear and tear of the season. “I’ve been working hard this offseason to improve my game and bring more defensive awareness. Coming of the bench again this year, I hope to give a spark by using my trash talk and three point shot. I think this can be my best year.”
Second-year Ca$h Money Coach Noah Jager commented on Alicea’s competitive nature, saying “ (Alicea) is the definition of a competitor. He won’t back down against anyone and he’ll let his opponent know he’s there to win. ”
Jacob Lewis, Junior, SG/SF, C-team
After the final buzzer sounded and the sweatshirts were handed out, Jacob Lewis was faced with a tough decision. As a sophomore on an otherwise entirely senior roster that featured his brother, Ben, Lewis was left as the lone champion from the Scrubs returning for the 2018 season. Although not a starter, Lewis was a role player who provided valuable minutes for the Scrubs during the season.
Lewis needed to decide where he could take his talents, and with several teams vying for him, he ultimately chose a spot that he felt would give him the best team chemistry and chance to succeed. His new team is none other than the infamous C-Team who went 0-10 last year
Lewis’s reasoning behind the move was simple. “I saw an 0-10 team that needed some new changes, a fresh look that I felt I could provide,” Lewis said.
The move has been under speculation, but many fans forget that C-Team dismissed their coaching staff after the season’s end and was predominantly composed of underclassmen last year. After an offseason spent developing returning team members like Scott Grabowski, Tyler Wisniewski, and Chris Piekarsky and recruiting big names such as Yash Patel, Jonathan Collins, Zach Good and Lewis, the team is positioned for a reversal of its 2017 fortunes.
Whether or not the team can make an impact is uncertain; however, C-eam certainly promises to be one of the more fun teams to watch this season.
