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NTL BOYS' BASKETBALL: YOUTHFUL CANTON READY FOR NEW CHALLENGE (2022-12-11)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
This are going to look a lot different on the court for the Canton boys’ basketball teams. They said good-bye to four senior starters from last year’s team that made the district semifinals, and posted one of the best records in school history.

“It’s going to be a learning experience,” said longtime coach Brock Kitchen. “We didn’t get as much play in the summer as I wanted to, because I was spending a lot of time with football. And then, obviously, the football season, we’ve been practicing in the morning with the kids that weren’t football players.”


The football players returned last week, but will still need to work themselves into basketball shape.


“We have some athletes, and we have some kids that I think will be able to step in,” said Kitchen. “Building the younger kids up is going to be a process that we really have to work on.”


They’re going to have to account for the 43 points they lost to graduation, not to mention the other areas of the game, but they do have one key players back in Weston Bellows.


Bellows averaged 7.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and was one of the better one-on-one defenders in the league. This year, though, he’s going to have to do more.


“Last year I was more of a role player,” explained Bellows. “And this year, I’ve got to step up, and hopefully help these guys win.”


He’s hoping that last year’s winning season will seep into his teammate’s mindsets that, yes, they should have expectations like that.


“A winning season is always a good thing,” Bellows said. “Last year, we were lucky enough to have one, and, hopefully, that carries over int this year.”


Two other key returnees are seniors Kyle Kapichok and Austin Allen. Both saw some time off the bench a year ago, with Kapichok posting averages of 1.1 PPG and 2.2 RPG, while Allen had 2.3 PPG, and 1.4 RPG.


“It’s going to be different,” Kapichok said about his new role. “I’ve never really had a chance to play like this.”


Allen returned to basketball last year after some years away, so the transition to hoops from football this year has been easier.


“I kind of know the players a lot better,” he said. “I know my teammates a lot more, and chemistry there is built up a lot.”


The duo know that they’re going to have to step up if Canton is going to repeat their success from last year.


“I have to shoot more when I have open shots,” said Allen. “Finding my open teammates, and trying to make the best plays that I can make.”


One thing they have going for them is size. They look start four players that range from 6-feet, 1-inch to 6-feet, 4-inches, while Bellows will never be mistaken for being 6-feet, 4-inches, he can play like he is with his athleticism.


“It’s going to help because a lot of teams aren’t too tall,” said Kapichok. “Towanda is going to have a decent height team, but you can throw the ball up higher for better passing.”


Kitchen knows that might be their biggest advantage this season, starting a bigger team than last year’s squad.


“That’ll be a strength, without a doubt,” said Kitchen. “Which I hope, because we lost some perimeter shooting from last year. We’ve got to be able to work inside out against most teams, and go from there.”


Of course, they lost their two ball handlers to graduation, so that’s one area of focus for the Warriors.


“Weston is going to have to be able to do both,” said Kitchen. “Ben Fitch is going to have to do both, which I’m fine with, because both of them are pretty physical kids, both strong kids, so I’m hoping that when teams do apply pressure, that just their physical strength will be able to help us get the ball up the court.”


With their first game Monday, at Sullivan County, the group has been working on conditioning, too.


“There’s a big difference between football shape and basketball shape,” said Allen. “And we’re trying to get into basketball shape.”


League wise, though, the landscape looks quite different from last year. Defending champs Wyalusing have moved up to Large School, with a young Williamson team moving down. Sayre has a new coach, while NEB, CV, and NP-Liberty have young rosters, as well.


“I think the Small School is very even,” said Kitchen. “I think Northeast is going to have a good squad, and I know they’re young. Sayre is going to have a new system coming in, Wyalusing a new system. Liberty, I think, will have the best Small School player with (Derek) Litzelman. When he plays well he can carry a night all night, there’s no doubt about that.”


The players agree with that sentiment, and that is what drives them this year, after coming up a game short last season.


“It’s going to be very evenly fought out, and, hopefully, we come out on top,” Bellows remarked.


ROSTER (Grade)

Austin Allen (12)

Weston Bellows (12)

Hunter Brackman (12)

Wesley Castle (12)

Kyle Kapichok (12)

Aiden Palmer (12)

Kevin Fleming (11)

Caiden Lyon (11)

Lance Route (11)

Brayden Vroman (11)

Ben Fitch (10)

Kevin Kreppeneck (10)

Jaydin Landis (10)

Andrew Smith (10)

Talin Williams (10)

Quincy Wesneski (10)

Ethan Brasington (9)

Lawrence Halbfoerster (9)

Ryder Route (9)


SCHEDULE

Dec. 12 - at Sullivan County, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 - vs Towanda, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 16 - vs NEB, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 - vs Millville, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 - vs NPL, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 - at Troy, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 - vs CV, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 - at Sayre, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 - at Williamson, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 - vs Wellsboro, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 - vs NPM, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 - at Athens, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 - at NEB, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 - at NPL, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 - at CV, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 - vs Edison, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 - vs Sayre, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 9 - vs Williamson, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 13 - at Montgomery, 7:30 p.m.




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