Chesapeake must slow down speedy Warriors
Published 12:00 am Monday, February 28, 2005
CHESAPEAKE - Coach Norm Persin is hoping that the old saying that speed kills doesn't hold true for his Chesapeake Panthers.
The Panthers must contend with the speed of the Adena Warriors when the two teams meet at 4:45 p.m. Saturday at Ohio University in the Division III district semifinals.
"They have lots of speed and lots of quickness. They play hard and the have a lot of kids who can handle the ball. They're one of the best teams we've played all season," Persin said.
The Warriors, 16-6 on the season, lack a lot of size, but they try to utilize their athletic ability.
"They have some talent and they're really young. They have only one senior and he comes off the bench," Persin said.
The guards are 5-foot-8 junior Colton Coy and 5-11 junior Andrew Sowers. The forwards are 5-11 sophomore Michael Hitchens and 6-1 sophomore Dylan Givens while 6-2 junior Nick Milliken is the pivot man.
"Milliken is their leading scorer and he's good around the basket," Persin said. "Sowers is extremely quick, Coy is their perimeter shooter, and Hitchens is their do-it-all guy. He guards the best player and rebounds and can score."
Chesapeake, 20-1, is led by P.J. Rase, a 6-2 junior, who leads the Panthers with 14 points a game. Brennan Hall, a 6-6 senior center, averages 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots.
Trent Finley, a 6-foot senior, is Rase's running mate at guard, and 6-3 junior Justin Porter and 6-5 junior Brent Ransbottom are the forwards.