League predictions – WF West Bearcats
WF WEST BEARCATS were one of the teams invited and competed at the Saint Martin’s College out of Lacey, WA this summer.
The bearcats were very impressive throughout camp. Coming off a disappointing 10-11 record overall and a 4-6 record in their conference. This was a good opportunity to gain some confidence and chemistry as a team. The Bearcats squared off against an athletic Central District team. WF West controlled the boards and controlled the tempo of the whole game. Central District did not have the size to compete with the Bearcats. At every position, there was a mismatch. From one through five WF West players stood at between 6’0 and 6’8. There post players play with their backs to the basket and their guards can post up as well. Central District had the speed but it was not enough to offset the 52-21 rebound deficit they faced with 4 minutes left in the game. The Bearcats ran a high-low and fed the slot every time it was open.
With an already impressive summer league and Team Camp, Let us look at some of the firepower the Bearcats are packing this season.
6’7 senior post Brandon White is a legitimate post player. He is the traditional back to the basket type of player. He is a bruiser in the paint on the defensive end making other teams think twice about attacking the rim. He can finish with an assortment of low post moves using both hands. I got a chance to talk with the senior and here is how he described his game.
“I like to play in the paint, I feel like my game is designed for tougher play. I have been a post player all my life. I know at some point I will need to develop a mid-range game but for now, I have been successful with scoring in the post.”
6’1 senior guard Bennett Bull is a big body point guard who uses his upper body strength to power through the contact. He looked a lot bigger than 6’1 mainly because Central district about that much smaller. Bennett is a decent shooter and offensively does lack the handling the ability to get to the basket. His biggest strengths are on and off ball defense and getting the bearcats into their sets. They will need him this year to be more of a threat on the offensive side off the ball. With his height he should be able to get his shot off on any of the smaller guards in the 2A conference.
6’2 senior wing Bryce Dobyns had a good showing during the camp. Bryce has a J.J. Reddick type game. He is an able defender, streaky shooter who when get some hot is unconscious. He moves without the ball, which enables him to get himself open for good open shots. During camp he put the ball on the floor more than he did last year, which will bold well for the bearcats going into league play. With his size and aggressive play Bryce could find himself landing some interest from some good NAIA programs.