Vikings must learn on the job

Cody Pierce is one of few players with much experience returning to the Community roster.
(File Photo by Danny Parker)

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The Community Vikings have adopted that slogan as they enter the 2009-10 season secure in the knowledge that they will compete in a new state-of-the-art facility and virtually a new roster of kids with bright futures.

Third-year coach Jace Bryant, a former Mr. Basketball finalist at Collinwood, enters the new campaign with a 29-11 career record and loses five-of-seven players out of his rotation after an 18-win season a year ago.

One might think that losing three four-year starters, two of the best post players in the district in Wylder Norris and Justin Stallings -- who also represented a huge percentage of the Vikings' scoring between them -- and Josh Hull, one of the top rebounders in the area, might just be considered a deterrent for most coaches' ability to exhibit a positive demeanor going forward.

"Hey, I am excited about this group of young men," Bryant said. "I have my two best defenders back in Cody Pierce and Kyle Dyer. They are the only two players on our roster that saw any appreciable time on the floor last season so we are definitely going to learn on the job.

"It should be very interesting to see how good we can get as the season progresses."

The Vikings utilized a slow pace on offense the past two seasons to take advantage of mismatches down low with Stallings, Norris and Hull but will throw that offensive scheme out the window as they welcome new personnel in Zeke Grissom, Austin Thurber and Logan Pierce to the front court.

The youngsters will be less physical than their predecessors by virtue of being less physically mature as freshmen, but they will bring much-needed quickness and deft ballhandling to an offense that promises to play very fast and a defense that will apply pressure all over the court from start to finish.

"We are going to place the ball into Pierce's hands a majority of the time to get the ball upcourt, but we have several kids that we feel can do the job," Bryant said. "We have some very competitive kids that excel in the classroom and show some real basketball smarts on the court.

"It is going to take some major adjustments on their part to get used to the speed and the physical rigors of varsity play but this group has shown some resilience and willingness in mixing it up with older teams in preseason play days.

"Zeke and Logan were team leaders from our middle school team that won the championship last year and the kids that are coming up with them were winners throughout their careers. It is just the type of mindset that we are instilling into our program.

"We challenge them every day to get better -- whether at practice, in the classroom or as citizens. I am proud of the way that they accepted that challenge. We can't wait to get started."

Communtiy travels to Cornersville tonight for a Hall of Fame game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30.