LP Boys Basketball Team Has New Look On Offense

LAKE PLACID - With three returning starters and an infusion of young talent, the Lake Placid boys basketball team is hoping to improve on last year's 10-16 record.

The Green Dragons lost in the Class 3A-District 10 finals to Frostproof and ended their season with a loss in the regional quarterfinals against state power Florida Air Academy.

With the nucleus of junior Travalier Sholtz and seniors Josh Hickey and Conlin Veley - all of whom played football - Lake Placid could contend for a district title again this season.

"We've looked good so far in practice, but we've only had the entire team together for a few days since football just finished," said second-year Green Dragon coach Levi Williams. "We don't have a lot height, but we're quick, so we're going to try and get up and down the floor to create some easy scoring opportunities."

Veley, at 6-foot-2, plays guard and forward and is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

"Conlin is an extremely hard worker who can shoot the jumper or put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket," Williams said. "He also does a good job of rebounding, because he gets good position and boxes out well."

Hickey also plays guard or forward and averaged 10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists last year.
"Josh brings a lot of energy to the team," the LP coach said. "He plays hard and gives everything he has."

Sholtz will be in the middle for the Green Dragons, and, at 6-2, will be counted on to be a force in the paint.

"Travalier has a big body and is used to the physical play under the basket," Williams said. "He'll do his part on the boards, but with of our lack of height, we're going to have to rebound by committee and take some charges."

A duo of sophomores, Marcus Waugh and Thaddeus Legree, has impressed Williams during practices.
"Marcus is very quick off the dribble and can create scoring chances for himself and for his teammates with his drives to the basket," the Dragon coach said. "Thaddeus played junior varsity last year and worked real hard on his game over the summer.
"I think he has a chance to make a real contribution to the team."

Lake Placid will be using a new offense this season, which has interchangeable parts.
"We don't want to be one-dimensional and this way, the defense can't focus on any one man," Williams. "We're going to keep it simple, but with lots of motion."

Defense is still the key to winning close games, according to the Dragon coach.
"We're going to run a bunch of different defenses, which should confuse our opponents," he said. "We'll use some full court looks to take advantage of our quickness.
"Whatever defense we're in, we have to play hard, because sometimes the ball won't go down for you, and if you play solid on the defensive end, you can still come out with a win."

The District 10 race is wide open, as defending champion Frostproof features a scrappy squad, while McKeel Academy has a new coach and Mulberry always has a bevy of athletes to choose from.
"I don't know much about the teams in our district," Williams said. "I'm more concerned about our team and getting ready for the season."

Lake Placid opens the season at 5:30 tonight in the Bill Jarrett Tip-Off Classic at Avon Park High School.
"We're looking forward to the season," Williams said. "The kids know my system and what I expect, and we're going to play hard and try and win some games."