The Loyalsock Lancers boys' basketball team is back to make waves yet again this year. After finishing last season with a 22 and 4 record, the defending district champions have had to make some adjustments after graduating 2 key starters. But head coach Ron Insinger's knowledge of the game, along with knowing the kind of talent he has and how to use it has proven beneficial to this program.
Senior Roger Wilson said, "You have a coach that wins a lot of games. Obviously, he knows what it takes, he's been here a lot . For a coach that's been here 30 plus years he obviously knows something about the game and you don't get that ever. "
Now in his 38th season of coaching, Coach Insinger's decision to start 4 sophomores and 1 senior might not seem intimidating, but he feels this time could make the kind of noise to get to districts, even states. "There aren't any superstars. There aren't any boys that we can go to each night that you can count on 20 points, but we've got 7, 8, 9 boys that can always count on double figures," said Insinger.
Last season wasn't exactly the outcome they'd hoped for, losing to Riverside at the buzzer. This year's goal is to figure out what they can do to be better than last year to take it to the next level. Some of that motivation comes from the team's valuable asset, senior Roger Wilson.
"Someone 6'5" Out on the court helps us out a lot. I could make a bad pass but he'll make it look good. He can get up in the air and he's real athletic and it helps out a lot running the court," says sophomore Kyle Datres.
Insinger added, "He's had I think all but one game with a double, double. He's someone that we can really count on not so much for points, but for boards and obviously when you get a lot of boards the points are going to come."
Roger hopes that his style of motivation, like that of Ray Lewis, can boost the Lancers to much more than they could hope for in a season. "This year is something special. The team chemistry and everything is there. I want to go farther in states, I want to make it to states, I want to win states. It's just all about winning. "