Bulldog basketball to open tonight at Lisa Academy

By Abigail Hodgson

UCA Sportswriting

Basketball season starts for the St. Joseph boys team tonight at Lisa Academy in Little Rock, and the Bulldogs are looking forward to another successful season, this time hoping to play past the first round of the Class 2A State Tournament.

Despite a 31-3 record and 2A-4 East conference and district championships, the Bulldogs fell to Bearden, 75-63, in the opening round of the state tournament last year.

The Bulldogs beat Pottsville, which went on to win the Class 4A state title, during the regular season. Their three losses were to Class 5A Greenbrier, Class 3A state champion Harding Academy and Bearden.

Brent Bruich is in his ninth year as head coach of his alma mater and is hungry to get back to the state tournament.

“Toward the end of the season last year we played very strong and took care of business,” Bruich said. “I am hoping my players can return back and go even farther this season.”

The lone returning starter is 5-9 senior point guard Landon Enderlin, who led the team in assists last year. Enderlin is expected to be a good leader again this season for the Bulldogs.

Other varsity returnees include 6-3 senior Drake Cooper, 6-2 junior Dylan Schrekenhofer, 5-11 junior Britt Storth, 6-0 senior Cole Schaefers, 5-11 senior Nash Nichols and 5-8 senior Taylor Schrekenhofer.

With these players returning, Bruich said he expected the Bulldogs to have great team chemistry and experience.

“Enderlin is our only returning starter, but a few of the boys coming back all got playing time last season,” Bruich said. “This will help our speed of play and communication on the court.”

Although they do have upperclassmen returning, the team is small in size and height. The tallest player is just 6-3, and many of the Bulldogs will be redefining their roles on the team this year.

“We have been emphasizing rebounding a lot,” Bruich said. “Because of our size, we really need to do a better job in that.”

Bruich said some important games of the season would be in the St. Joseph Classic in early December. Vilonia, Mayflower, Guy-Perkins, Marshall, Perryville, Hazen, and Lonoke are all coming to Conway for the tournament.  He said he hoped the non-conference schedule would prepare the Bulldogs for a great season.

“This is going to be a test for our team and although it’s a stacked preseason schedule, I think we will be that much more prepared for conference play,” Bruich said.