The Avery men’s varsity basketball team is looking to improve off a three-win effort in 2007-08. With a number of younger players, including three freshmen used on the varsity roster a season ago, a team returns that is hungry for success.Taking the reins as head coach this season is Bo Manis. Manis has coached the junior varsity team the past several seasons and succeeds veteran head coach Art Williamson on the bench.
Coach Manis recently sat down with the Avery Journal-Times for a one-on-one interview to discuss the upcoming season.
AJ-T: Coach, you’ve had to split your duties between coaching both football and basketball as they overlap at this time of the year. How have practices gone with having a number of potential players still on the football field and unable to get on the basketball court?
Manis: We’ve been working hard and I’m pleased to have as many players out as we have right now. Basically at this point we’re doing a lot of running and conditioning. We have to because we’re small in size and we’ll have to rely a lot on our defense. We’re doing a lot of running to get in shape. We’ll hopefully be ready physically and mentally for our first game. Everything’s going well, and I couldn’t be happier with these kids.
AJ-T: Expectations change from year to year, and the team was only able to get three wins last season. What are some expectations that you have for your team, and things you hope your team can accomplish on the court this year?
Manis: What I hope first is that we work hard. I preach that when you work hard, good things will happen. I can’t really go into discussing numbers of wins or losses because my expectation for each player is to be a better person and someone of character as they continue to grow.
AJ-T: You had the opportunity to coach most of the players this season when they were junior varsity players. Does prior experience and familiarity with your players offer any sort of advantage?
Manis: I think so, because they know where I stand as far as discipline and what I expect from them. They know I want them in shape and they know what I want to run on the court, and they also know how I approach the game. That gives them a head start as players and gives me the same as their coach.
AJ-T: From your point-of-view, does it take some time to get the team to jell together as you have the football players coming in a few practices after the other players who have already been in the gym? How long do you feel it will take those players coming off the football field to adjust to playing basketball?
Manis: It takes some a longer period of time than others. I can remember when I played and making the transition. For some it may take a few days, while others make take a few weeks. It takes different muscles to use in your legs for basketball versus football. Where basketball is constant running, football is run hard, and then stop and you do that over and over. For the guys who are in shape, it won’t affect them greatly. For the football players it may take them a couple of days, but for those players who have played for me, they’ll know what I expect and what they will need to do to get ready to play.
AJ-T: Who do you have helping you on the bench as a staff of assistants, and what do they bring in helping this year’s team?
Manis: Reggie Oakes is helping me as my assistant. I couldn’t ask for anyone better. He has a great basketball background, and we’re also on the same page as far as discipline and conditioning goes. He’s great to work with and he’s helping me tremendously. Reggie has been involved with the players through the Avery Middle School program.
Kent Hayes is also helping as my assistant. He has been coaching players with the Cranberry Middle School program. They both help me as a coach to understand the players better as far as what each player can and cannot do.
These players come from the middle schools and play together as the Avery High School team, and I want the team to understand that they play for each other. Both Reggie and Kent are great to work with and they have great enthusiasm to work with the players and for the game of basketball.
