New look for Bulldogs on hardwood

Expect a new look from the Bulldog boys

basketball team at the season opener this Friday. Without the

height advantage from last season, this year’s team will look to

use their athletic ability to gain an edge.

“It’s going to be a totally different

style of basketball,” Whitefish coach Mark Casazza said. “Fans are

going to love it.”

Big men Drew Galbraith and Alex Duroche

graduated last year, leaving six-foot, five-inch senior Gage

Vasquez as the tallest on the roster. Casazza, however, says

Vasquez is really more of a guard.

Without height in the post, the

Bulldogs will play up tempo and push the ball on offense.

“There will be a lot of slashes to the

rim, Casazza said. “That’s what we have to do, get into the paint

off the dribble.”

The athletic ability of senior Chris

Forrest was well demonstrated on the grid iron this past football

season. Expect the senior to bring the same energy to the

court.

Vasquez was the team’s go-to scorer

last season and looks to have refined his diverse skill set.

Vasquez and Forrest are joined by

fellow senior Bryce Wehrli as the team’s upperclassmen.

“The leadership and team unity is

amazing,” Casazza said. “It’s fun to coach a team that is all on

the same page. That will be our real strength.”

The outside shot should carry the team,

too.

Sharpshooter Cooper Olson, a junior,

looked deadly at a recent practice. The five-foot, six-inch junior

was knocking down long jumpers and threes from all over the

court.

Logan Harwood, Jace Kalbfleisch, Jake

May and Jake Slaybaugh round out a crew of stellar juniors on the

varsity roster.

On defense, the Dogs will present a lot

of full-courts presses and half-court traps.

“We have to keep the ball out of the

post on defense,” Casazza said.

Seven sophomores are listed on the

varsity roster. Casazza says he expects to get quality minutes from

the young bench.

Whitefish kicks of the season in the

Tip Off Tournament this Friday at 4 p.m. against Corvallis. The

game is in Columbia Falls. Corvallis’ Riley Bradshaw is considered

one of the best players in the state, in both Class A and AA. He

will present a good defensive test for Whitefish.

“We have to do a good job of containing

him,” Casazza said. “I’m really looking at what our defense does

and to see how we do keeping the ball out of the paint.”

Whitefish plays at home Saturday at 7

p.m. against Anaconda.