Karter Bibbs goes up for a layup during practice at Yorktown High School Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015.
YORKTOWN — Ben Conte, Karter Bibbs and Blaine Harvey spent their junior basketball seasons comprising the scout team. Sometimes they’d get into games, whenever Yorktown coach Greg Miller could find the right time.
But when is the right time when your top eight players are seniors?
Caleb Morey, Riley Miller, Riley Neal and the rest of last year’s senior class led the way to a 17-8 season, combining to account for 96.7 percent of the Tigers’ scoring. The season before, Yorktown went 17-5 with that group accounting for 95.2 percent of the scoring.
And now, they’re all gone. The only three players left to get into a varsity game are Conte, Bibbs and Harvey.
So what now?
“There’s so much to be said about that group,” Conte said. “They brought teamwork, they brought hustle. They pushed us, we pushed them. Every day we came into practice, and I’d guard Caleb or Riley (Miller), one of those dynamic guards we had. That’s really pushed me this year to push these guys now for the upcoming year. They brought so much, so much leadership.”
But, Conte was quick to add something else.
“We like to think we beat up on them (in practice),” he said.
Added Bibbs: “Some days, we gave them a run for their money.”
It’s a new era at Yorktown as the Tigers transition from that standout senior class to a less-experienced collection of players eager to step into the spotlight.
“They should be excited — real excited — because it’s a great opportunity,” Greg Miller said. “The door is literally wide open for the entire group.”
Yorktown basketball players run through drills during practice at Yorktown High School Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015.
Miller said the Tigers spent the summer trying to “close the competitive gap,” which is only natural when considering their lack of experience. But they did close that gap a little bit, Miller said. And while he admitted there may be stretches — like an entire quarter — where the Tigers don’t score, he’s encouraging the Tigers to play through it.
“Right now, this group is really fun to practice with,” Miller said. “They’ve been energetic, they talk.”
Conte will handle the ball and likely be joined in the starting lineup by Bibbs, juniors Drake Tweedy and Jordan Coleman and sophomore Bobby Smith. Miller said he wouldn’t be surprised if Smith led the Tigers in scoring, though he’s expecting it to be even more balanced than it has been in the past.
Last year’s group was so familiar with one another, and this year’s squad has a ways to go in that regard, so Miller has tried to keep it fun. The players wore a shirt of their favorite team under their practice jerseys at a recent practice, with Conte rocking an Arsenal shirt and Bibbs sporting an Indiana Hoosiers one. They’re all getting green Nike shoes this year, too.
“Coach decided to come out bold this year,” Bibbs said.
Miller recognizes the challenges this year’s team will face, but he’s also cautiously optimistic that it’ll surprise a few people.
“Just because they didn’t give it to us in games (last season), doesn’t mean they didn’t help in practice,” Miller said. “That’s kind of the foundation of where we’re at right now with these guys. They’ve had their practice influence, now they need to get into games so they can carry the weight of responsibility on their shoulders and feel good about it.”
How long does that take?
“I don’t know,” Miller said after shaking his head and whistling. “Ask me in February.”
Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.
Yorktown basketball players run through drills during practice at Yorktown High School Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015.