Coach Ty Gray and assistant coach Rick Ernst have a good group returning, including last year’s three leading scorers in Jordan Ernst (17.1 ppg), Scott Gatlin (7.8 ppg) and Spencer Gatlin (7.3 ppg.).
“I’m hoping to get a little more production out of each one of those guys offensively,” Gray said. “The place we’re really looking right now is another ball handler, because Alex did help out in that area.”
The Bulldogs lost Alex Ogas to gradation – and will look to fill his spot as a secondary ball handler – but Ernst is back as the team’s primary guard.
“He’s the team leader all the way,” Gray said of the senior point guard. “However he goes is how the team usually goes.”
The Bulldogs also return their top three rebounders, in the Gatlin brothers and Beau Hemphill. And with their size, Gray says they will look to get the ball inside if possible, but that they also have shooters.
“Kyle Schultz came on last year toward the end of the year and was hitting several threes every night,” he said. “Even Scott Gatlin, he’s got the ability to hit from the outside.”
Gray said he believes Mancos and Ignacio will be tough and that the Bulldogs will have to play well to compete, but with a team of veteran returners, his goals are set high.
“I told the players the other night, if we don’t get past districts it will be a huge, huge disappointment,” he said. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t make it at least to regionals and see who we match up with at that point.”
