After a successful campaign last year that saw them come up one game short of the state tournament, Racine Park returns with high hopes of bringing a state title back to Racine. Though they lost a few talented players due to graduation and transfer, Park returns a highly talented lineup with a lot of length and experience.
The headliner for Park will be their do-it-all forward Nobal Days. The 6'9 big man has been a mainstay in the Panther lineup since he was a freshman, and will be hungry for a state birth after coming up just short multiple times. Nobal is one of the best interior defenders and rebounders in the state, and makes things extremely difficult for opposing offenses with his ability to block and alter shots inside. Unique for his height, Nobal also has the ability to run the fast break after getting a defensive rebound, while also having the vision to throw long outlet passes to streaking teammates. Though he won't put up huge scoring numbers, Nobal does have a versatile offensive game, which requires defenses to focus on him from beyond the arc and inside the paint. His most dangerous attribute is his passing, where he has the ability to drop dimes from the low or high post areas to cutting teammates. Nobal's ability to contribute in all areas on the court makes Park a dangerous team.
The top scorer for Park the past two seasons has been Larry Canady, and he will likely make that three straight years as a senior. The dangerous offensive talent has averaged double figures his entire career with Park, and will lead the offensive charge for the Panthers once again. He has solid length at the guard spot standing at 6'2 with long arms, which gives him the ability to finish at the rim or pull up over defenders from the mid-range. Laryy doesn't force anything offensively, and when he gets going he is near impossible to stop without double teaming him. On the flip side, Larry is one of the top on-ball defenders in the state, always taking the challenge of guarding the opposing team's top guard/wing. Look for him to push 20 ppg as a senior.
Providing even more length for Park will be senior forward Richie Warren. Standing 6'5 and long, Richie is a good compliment alongside Nobal in the post. He is a solid finisher and rebounder, having averaged 7.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg while shooting over 70% from the field. Ricky Canady also returns for his third year on the varsity squad, and will likely step in to a full time starting role. He is very strong and physical, and uses his body well to defend and finish through contact. He is a good piece who can do a bit of everything for Park. Zyiere Carey will look to round out the starting lineup. The senior guard is a big time offensive threat with his athleticism and shooting. He returns after averaging 8 ppg as a junior while shooting 44% from deep. Zyiere is a spark who can provide instant offense when he gets going.
Stevie Henderson is another talented junior on this Panther squad. At 6'2 he brings some length and athleticism to the rotation, and will contribute heavy minutes after averaging 2.3 ppg as a sophomore. Other than the six mentioned, Park doesn't return any players that saw many minutes on varsity. They will have to rely on junior varsity call-ups or some freshmen talent to provide quality minutes off the bench. If they can find that depth, they will be an extremely hard team to beat come the playoffs.
Predicted Regular Season Record: 18-4
Predicted Scoring Leaders: Larry Canady 20 ppg
Zyiere Carey 11 ppg
Nobal Days 10 ppg
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