Dragons ready for another run at postseason

The Carroll boys basketball team is coming off of a strong 2015-2016 campaign, in which it finished second in district and made the postseason, and coach Eric McDade said his team is ready for more this year.

McDade said that things are shaping up well for the 2016-2017 season and said his players are excited to get things going full speed.

“The guys are working hard,” McDade said. “And it’s always fun this time of year, because you come in and practice for a few weeks, the scrimmages are out of the way and now we are into the games. We are feeling good about things and you can definitely feel the basketball in the air.”

McDade said the objective for this season is to repeat upon the kind of success the Dragons enjoyed in 2015-2016, but added that he wants his team to take things one step at a time.

“You try to approach every basketball season the same way, and divide it up into three [parts],”McDade said. “We are going to have our preseason, then district and then the playoffs. You start in October and hope to finish in March. You know it’s going to be journey, so you hope to get your group locked in and bonded together. So ultimately, our goal is to do well in the tournament season.

“Hopefully that gets us geared up for district, and then you shoot for a district championship. Then you start preparing for that postseason.”

McDade said he has several players he anticipates being among his team leaders this season, including last year’s district Newcomer of the Year, Jack McBride.

McDade said he also expects strong seasons from Stephen Bloomstrom, Blake Bischler and Sam Bourcy.

To repeat upon the success the Dragons enjoyed in the 2015-2016 season, McDade said that it will take a couple of things from his team.

“We’re going to have to play for each other, and we’re going to have to play great defense,” McDade said. “We’ve got to take care of the ball and we have to be smart. We’ve got to have good, sound fundamental basketball and team play. I look forward to watching us grow and improve.”

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Dragons ready for another run at postseason."