As the weather gets colder, that can only mean that high school basketball season is right around the corner.
For the Cowboys basketball team, the season starts back up after a busy summer.
Over the summer, Camp Verde hosted the Cowboys Summer Shootout and went a perfect 5-0.
The Cowboys also played in the Coconino Summer League while also participating in the Embry Riddle tournament.
Last year, Camp Verde finished 10-1, but the Cowboys have been hard at work since the end of last season.
“We had a good summer and some good kids returning so part of the process is ensuring they handle business off the court,” Cowboys head coach Dan Wall said.
“We got a lot better defensively this summer and the kids gained a lot of confidence.”
Defensively, Wall plans on the Cowboys mixing in both zone and man-to-man this season.
“We have been primarily a man-to-man team for many years now and there will definitely be a lot of that involved this season,” Wall said. “We are going to try and push the pace a bit and mix in zone to make our opponent uncomfortable.”
Now in his fifth season as Camp Verde’s coach, Wall believes that basketball is much different from when he started.
“If you are not looking at how the rules or the trends or the stats are changing compared to the past then you are behind the curve,” Wall said. “As a high school coach, you also have to look at personnel every year and that is a challenge in itself.”
With new adjustments to the game every season, coaching the game can become quite the challenge.
“You just never know what you are going to get every year from a roster and rule standpoint and I just love that challenge,” Wall said.
With the Cowboys returning many experienced players from last season, Wall expects a competitive bunch this year.
“Jason Collier, Abelardo Gonzalez and Ismael Hogan were the big three last year and they are each coming off of great summers,” Wall said. “I also think C.J. Bass will give us some good things while Dayton Smith and Nick Stone can contribute.”
Wall said he believes that with another year under the team’s belt, the Cowboys should be better equipped heading into the season.
“We had a fairly young group last year with only three seniors on our roster and the rest underclassmen,”
Wall said. “Just that year of growth particularly from sophomore to junior year is a huge development for high school players.”
With all the three-point shooting in professional and college basketball, expect the Cowboys to hoist their fair share
as well.
“My guys love the three pointer and we have some shooters so we will definitely play an up-and-down style,” Wall said. “We are going to get after it from that side of things with our shooters.”
The Cowboys open the season on the road as Camp Verde travels to Mayer High School on Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Camp Verde’s home opener is Tuesday, Nov. 27, when the Cowboys host Payson High School.
Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
