By Chris Parker
Tanner White takes over as head coach of the Halfway boys basketball program coming off a five-win season.
Senior Grayson Gallivan will be the team’s most experienced returning player. He averaged 10.4 points per game last season.
“He is really our only returning player that has a lot of experience on the floor from last year and in years past,” White said. “He will be a guy that has to lead us on and off the floor.”
Sophomores Brayden Doke and Isaac Ingram also return after seeing varsity minutes as freshmen.
“Brayden has made huge improvements on his game this summer and has made a huge impact in the weight room as well,” White said. “He (Ingram) is a kid that has a high motor and a non-stop attitude. He is going to play until he hears the whistle.”
Sophomore Zach Laney will make an immediate impact for Pleasant Hope after transferring in from Pleasant Hope.
“He (Laney) is a kid that started as a freshman for them and was top three in every category for them a year ago,” White said. “He will be a guy that we can trust and count on to make the right basketball play. He has a high basketball IQ and knows the game really well. His varsity experience will definitely help us out and will contribute in a big way.”
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Freshmen Maddox McCarthy, Shane Gallivan and Hayden Stafford will look to make immediate varsity impacts.
White on McCarthy: “Maddox McCarthy comes in with a lot of potential. He is a kid that can definitely do it all and has a lot of talent, but he will have to figure out and learn how to play at this level early and be effective. I think this summer helped him out a lot by playing and getting floor time and he is one of those kids that will just continue to grow each and every time he goes out there on the floor.”
White on Gallivan: “Shane Gallivan is a really smart kid who can handle the ball and shoot it. He will help us out tremendously with his shooting ability because we will be able to spread the defense out and be able to attack the defense in different ways with him in the game.”
White on Stafford: “Hayden Stafford is another one of those high motor kids. He will provide a spark for us and be a guy that we can get up and down the court with. When he is in the game it is all out effort with him.”
Overall, Halfway will be a young team this year.
“We are very young, but we have a lot of talent for being young,” White said. “I think if we can minimize mistakes and take care of the ball we will be a pretty solid team and have a chance to do some special things this year.”
Halfway will not be lacking for depth.
“Our biggest strength this year will be our depth and our speed,” White said. “We have a lot of guys who are very similar and play the same way and a lot of guys who are quick and can cause a lot of turnovers because of our speed.”
Halfway opens the season on Nov. 18 at home against Stoutland.
“I want our identity and reputation to be a team that constantly puts pressure on the defensive end and constantly attacks the weakness in the offense,” White said. “I would like people to say that we are disciplined and we don’t beat ourselves. This group works hard, and I want the no quit attitude to be who we are.”
