New Cougars coach sets bar high this season

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By Chris Vogt, Contributing Writer 2:56 AM Friday, December 2, 2011

TRENTON — Edgewood High School boys basketball coach Aaron Horne hasn’t just emphasized the importance of consistency to his players, but he’s also stressed the benefits.

Expectations have been set high in Cougar country for 2011-12.

“I’ve seen some stretches where we can be a solid basketball team,” said Horne, who will begin his first season at the helm. “The biggest thing we’re trying to preach now is keeping a consistent level of play. We want to be good for an entire quarter, but we also want to be good for an entire game.”

Edgewood returns only three players who saw a decent amount of starting time on last year’s squad that went 4-17.

“Our expectations are definitely higher than where the bar was set then,” Horne said. “A lot of that is placing an emphasis on just plain being competitive.”

Cody Hall will be a key component for the Cougars. He averaged 5.4 points per game and led the team with 5.4 rebounds a contest.

“We’re expecting him to have a big year for us and to be pretty dominant in the paint,” Horne said of Hall, a 6-foot-4 junior. “He’s a natural shot blocker. He’s shown that he can rebound the ball with consistency. We’re really making sure he’s around the rim.”

Juniors A.J. Pieratt and Chance Conley both saw a lot of action last season and will help out on the perimeter.

“Chance is a pretty effective scorer, and he’s done a nice job of working on his overall game to be more than just a threat as a perimeter shooter,” Horne said. “A.J. is a guy that can do a couple of roles. He’s versatile. He can mix it up. His versatility is going to be very important for us.”

Mason Back, also a junior, will be the Cougars’ point guard.

“He is very quick and has a pretty nice touch around the rim,” Horne said of Back. “ He’ll be the leader around the perimeter and keep us under control.”

Horne said he could use just about anyone else to fill the fifth spot in the lineup.

“We’re probably a little bit younger and inexperienced than what we were last season,” Horne said. “So we’re trying to get the guys to understand that it’s not going to go your way throughout the entire course of the game. That’s when they have to become mentally tough, and mentally focused, and not lose sight on trying to do better each possession down the court.

“We just want to be solid, consistent and have a high level of intensity against our competition,” Horne added. “The biggest challenge is making sure we’re doing everything right on all levels.”

Edgewood opens up tonight at home against Hamilton. 

Roster

Player Pos. Ht. Yr.

Mason Back G 5-7 Jr.

Joey Wolf G 5-10 Sr.

Seth Swartz F 6-1 Sr.

Daniel Cash G 6-0 Sr.

Jonathan Butler G 5-8 So.

Tanner Wright F 6-0 Fr.

Steven Sherlock C 6-4 Sr.

Chance Conley G 5-11 Jr.

Cody Hall C 6-4 Jr.