Brad Sherman has returned to coach basketball in the CHS gym where he once dominated as a player. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Sophomore Jered Brown makes the jump to varsity.
Ariah Bepler is one of seven seniors on a veteran Wolf squad.
Brad’s back.
As the Coupeville High School boys basketball team gears up for a new season, that’s the first, but not last, story-line.
When Brad Sherman exited the CHS gym as a player at the end of the 2002-2003 season, he left behind a stellar body of work.
More than a decade later, he still stands as one of the most proficient scorers to ever wear the uniform. After 100 years of Wolf boys hoops, Sherman’s 874 points has been topped by only seven other players.
And that’s the last thing we’ll say about that, if he has his way.
Like most Hall of Fame-caliber athletes, Sherman isn’t prone to blowing his own horn.
Now that he’s taken the lead position on the bench, the first of Randy King’s players to become a head coach, his focus is solely on helping his current players rise to the level he once enjoyed.
While Coupeville’s record wasn’t Earth-shattering last season (3-17 overall, 3-6 in league), the Wolves were very competitive and were rarely blown out.
With most of last year’s team returning, and a solid core of seven seniors to lead the way, Sherman sees a team on the cusp of a big jump.
“Early in the year we talked about an “all-in” mentality and an honest commitment to our team goals and expectations,” Sherman said. “Past that, I think it goes without saying that our goal is compete all season for that top spot in our league, and then move past the regular season.
“I believe we have a group of young men capable of surprising some people this year.”
With defending league champ Port Townsend having taken a bit of a hit, losing its top two players, the race for the Olympic League crown should be competitive.
“I believe we’re capable of competing for that top spot, but we can’t overlook any team,” Sherman said. “We have to approach each and every league game like it’s for the title, regardless of which team we play. That’s the mindset we have to have.”
While Sherman is a first-year head coach, he’ll have an experienced pro by his side in CHS baseball coach Chris Smith, who joins the basketball program as JV coach.
“Chris has been a terrific addition as a coach, and is great to work with,” Sherman said. “He really knows the game, and is a great teacher of the game.
“The program and our athletes are really lucky to have him out here. He’s just a very talented coach and the kids obviously have a great deal of respect for him.”
Smith’s progeny, senior guard Hunter Smith, is Coupeville’s top returning player.
An All-Conference pick as a junior, he enters his final season on the hard-wood looking to make a run at joining Sherman among the top scorers in school history.
Hunter Smith sits #45 all-time with 465 points (he torched the nets for 332 as a junior) and could conceivably make a run at the Top 10 with a strong finale.
“He’s an impact player in so many aspects of the game,” Sherman said. “Hunter has worked hard to develop into the player he is. Strong leader.”
And Smith is not the only veteran on the squad, as seven of the 10 players to score last year return.
While the Wolves lost their #2 and #4 scorers, Gabe Wynn and Brian Shank, to graduation, gunner Ethan Spark, who was #3 on the scoring charts with 136 points as a junior, is back.
“Ethan worked hard in the off-season. In the gym all the time working on his game and it shows,” Sherman said. “Had a good summer and will be really solid at the guard spot for us.”
Smith and Spark are joined by seniors Hunter Downes (“scrappy and fights hard for possession, which will be big for us”), Joey Lippo (“his athleticism is really fun to watch”), Cameron Toomey-Stout (“all hustle all the time”), Ariah Bepler (“has the ability to alter a ton of shots”) and Kyle Rockwell (“he’s grown a lot as a player; playing much more physical down low.”)
Rounding out the team are junior Dane Lucero and sophomores Jered Brown, Jacobi Pacquette-Pilgrim and Gavin Knoblich.
Brown scored five points in his one appearance at the varsity level as a freshman, and is among the team’s quickest players.
“He provides us with another strong ball handler, shooting threat and he sees the floor well,” Sherman said. “I’m excited to see what Jered can do this year.”
Of the four non-seniors, Lucero is the great unknown.
A standout football and baseball player, he was a wrestler before moving to Coupeville. With no mat program at CHS, he’s shifted to a new sport this winter.
“Dane made the jump and is doing a nice job for us,” Sherman said. “His football experience makes him a strong physical presence. Really excited to have him out – he works hard.”
As he settles in, the new head ball coach is appreciative of what his veterans bring to a team, and program, in transition.
“To have a core group of leadership like we have is a tremendous asset,” Sherman said. “It’s great to see when we break out into drills a lot of the older guys helping with and investing time in the younger guys. It makes a big difference.
“Past that, quickness and experience at the guard spot will be a strength. Several true outside threats that can really spread a defense out,” he added. “Using our athleticism to keep aggressive on defense is something we need to continue to display throughout the season – we’ve looked strong in this regard so far this year.”
Sherman is putting an emphasis on his post players “being strong and aggressive in the paint and on the offensive boards,” while looking for all of his players to ride the fine line between knowing when to attack and when to let the play come to them.
“We want to be aggressive when good shots are there, but not settling for tough shots too early in possessions – that is something we continue to emphasize right now,” he said. “The other day I shared the John Wooden quote with the guys – “be quick, but don’t hurry.”
“Sometimes we tend to hurry a little and it can lead to poor execution and turnovers,” Sherman added. “We just need to be careful in that regard.”
As he counts down the moments until his first official games — the Wolves head to Blaine Wednesday, then host Mount Vernon Christian Friday — Sherman approaches his new gig much like he did his days as a player.
Calm, cool and collected, with an eye on success today and tomorrow.
“The reality is, good teams work to get better each and every week,” he said. “We will always be evaluating and re-evaluating areas where we need some focus and improvement, and I really believe we have a group of athletes who welcome that opportunity to get better.
“We’ve had a good first couple weeks of practice,” Sherman added. “Obviously new coaches means new system, but it hasn’t seemed to faze them.
“Great group to coach and eager to play, working hard. A group of athletes who welcome that opportunity to get better.”
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