Open Gym Notebook: Dekalb High School
Open Gym Notebook: Dekalb High School
Last Season
Last season, Dekalb finished 8-15 overall but really found their stride in the second half of the year. They rattled off five straight wins in the month of February and showed glimpses of being a conference contender in the NE8. Although they graduated three seniors, they are returning a great cast of seniors that will carry a big load for this team. Coach Cone is entering his second season with the Barons and is looking to have a strong year with this team. Here’s a quick snapshot from their open gym session on Monday, September 25th.
Players to Watch
Veterans
Logan Kruse – 6’2” | G | Class of 2018 – Logan Kruse is one of the returning seniors that will need to step up his game to help Dekalb this year. He averaged 18 points as a junior and will see a flurry of tough defenders throughout the season. He shown flashes of taking over games on the offensive end of the floor and will need to continue working on developing his perimeter game to be effective this season.
Boone Bacon – 6’1” | G | Class of 2018 – Boone Bacon is another returning starter from last season and brings leadership and poise to this roster. Bacon will be called on as a leader for this Baron team while also being an impact player as a slasher going to the basket. Boone communicates well on defense and keeps the team on the same page in tough situations.
Isaac Brown – 6’1” | G/W | Class of 2018 – Isaac Brown is an outstanding athlete that has been working on his game away from the basket. He is great at getting to the basket and finishing high with his athleticism. He’s been working on his jump shot and ability to bring the defense away from the basket to open the driving lanes. Brown is a competitor and mixes it up on both backboards.
Jonah Webb – 6’5” | F | Class of 2018 – Jonah Webb is going to be the centerpiece to this senior class. He is going to hold down the middle and will have to be impactful on the backboard. Webb will be an energy guy for the Barons while getting some easy baskets from his slashing guards. Jonah brings an inside presence to a team that is full of guards that can get to the basket and finish or dish it off.
Newcomers
Cole Richmond – 5’11” | G | Class of 2021 – Cole Richmond is one of the better shooters currently in the Dekalb program. The freshman has proven already that he can knock it down from deep at a good rate while also working on his game going to the basket. Cole showed toughness and grit getting into the lane and finishing around the basket. He will be a player to keep an eye on moving forward.
Recap
The movement and energy in the open gym was exactly what any coaching staff would want to see in a setting like this one. The players in attendance moved without the ball and played unselfishly all evening. They screened for each other and made off the ball cuts to create driving lanes and open opportunities for one another. Everyone was involved and contributed in different ways. This Dekalb team will rely on each other throughout the season to make plays and step up into big moments to help them succeed. This group has a chance to make some noise in the NE8 Conference as they look to turn it around from last season. Some young players may work their way into the rotation if they can show that they are ready for the opportunity. They were missing some of their impact players due to other sport commitments during the open gym session.