Roseville boys hoops team aims for championships By Jon Malavolti ROSEVILLE — Last season, the Roseville High boys basketball team had some of the top talent around, but ultimately finished with nothing to show for it. This year, the Panthers promise things will be different. “That’s all we strive for is championships this year,” senior Brandon Gouch said. “That’s what we need to get; that’s what we’re hungry for.” But there is plenty of work ahead for the Panthers before they can reserve a spot on the wall in the gym for a championship banner or in the trophy case. “I think we have a team that can do it, but we’re not there right now,” said coach Jeff Verkeyn. “We have the talent to win, I think, every game that we go into — that’s a good thing,” he continued. “Making it happen, that’s a different kind of pressure. So we’ve got to get better at all areas … we’ve just got to figure out ways to be successful.” Gouch, a four-year varsity member, will lead the way along with junior teammate Traye Williams. Together, they give Roseville one of the most potent perimeter pairings around. “Both of them are great basketball players,” Verkeyn said. “They put in a lot of time and effort. They’re gifted, but they play a ridiculous amount, and have been really good for us.” While the Panthers’ backcourt is in experienced hands, the key to their season may lie in the frontcourt. Verkeyn listed a handful of players who will step in to the paint, including seniors Ronald Erving Jr., Adam Just and Brian Kari, and freshman Anthony Capano. “It’ll kind of be by committee,” the coach said. “They all do different things well. We can do it. We’ve just got to figure it out and buy into it, and everyone know their role.” Gouch said the squad will look to utilize its speed and hard-work attitude to make up for its lack of size and experience in the frontcourt. “We’ve got a lot of hustle — got a lot of speed this year,” he said. “We’re a smaller team, so we need to pick up on the defense and rebounding.” Roseville should have a pretty good idea of where it stands early on, as it is slated to play some very tough teams outside of the Macomb Area Conference White Division. The Panthers open the season at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 hosting defending MAC Blue champion Madison Heights Madison. Two nights later, again at 7 p.m., the Panthers play host to defending MAC Red champs Utica Eisenhower. And on Jan. 8, Roseville will travel to take on Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day at 7:30 p.m. “This is what we wanted; we want to be the best team in the county. Well, you’ve got to play these teams and you’ve got to beat them,” Verkyen said. Gouch noted that the tough non-division schedule should help prepare the Panthers for their first goal — winning the MAC White. “It’ll get us used to playing some tougher teams, and we’ve got a lot of tough teams in the division,” he said. Last season, the Panthers finished three games out of first place in the division, ending up in second with a 9-3 mark behind a talented, senior-laden Grosse Pointe North squad. “I think we have a very good chance of winning the division this year,” Gouch said. “As long as we work hard and not get too cocky, like we did last year.” Roseville entered last season having just won the MAC Blue title in 2008. Coming up empty in 2009 has only re-energized the team entering this season. “That put a big chip on our shoulder,” Gouch said. “We need to win it this year. It’s my senior year. I want to go out with a championship.” Verkeyn is glad to see that the hunger has returned to the team. “Well, one thing that we’ve got to fight is getting a little bit fat — as far as we’ve won, now we expect to win,” the coach said. “And there’s a way; we just now all have to get on that path. We’re doing a good job getting there, slowly but surely. Ultimately, I think we can get there, but time will tell.” You can reach Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1040.
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