Unicoi County Season Preview
Unicoi County Blue Devils
Replacing the program’s All-Time leading scorer Trevor Hensley requires plenty. Unicoi County Head Coach Michael Smith brings back a few proven varsity scorers. The pivotal question is ‘How much can they muster?’
FRONTCOURT: Like hundreds of teams across the state Unicoi County will be searching for a servicable frontcourt rotation. Five forwards most likely to play competed for varsity last season. Austin O’Dell looks like the starting big on paper. Standing 6-foot-2, O’Dell is not overwhelmingly foreboding, but he is 210+ pounds and that matters in high school. Austin plays football too, but he is the right amount of solid on the defensive glass.
Coach Smith will utilize Danny Lowery, wing Nicholas Hensley, combo forward Caleb Adkins and center Nicholas Lynch, too.
“Lynch does a good job of blocking shots and they both (Lynch and Adkins) are going to be needed to rebound,” said Coach Smith.
BACKCOURT: Veterans Gavin Casey, Brett Lingerfelt, and Brock Thompson are tasked with leading this team. The three guards understand the system and generally disrupt with their hands in passing lanes. Brock is a nice catch-and-shoot option and Brett is going to get buckets too.
Beyond these three starters Unicoi County has Nicholas Hensley, Phoenix Holt, and Ty Thelan in their rotation. To execute the trapping, frenetic halfcourt defense that UCHS is known for Coach Smith will need fresh legs and competent basketball minds. This listing of players will suffice on both fronts.
KEY TO SUCCESS: Balance. No one player will give UCHS Hensley’s golden touch. Asking any one player to come close to Trevor Hensley is also unfair. The burden falls on the many. Can Brock Thompson, Gavin Casey, and Lingerfelt collectively cover his graduation? Possibly. It takes a deeper supporting cast this season and possibly for this reason Coach Smith is eying a ten-man rotation to start.
MOST IMPROVED: June often gives coaches their best early opportunity to evaluate their team. Two particular young players earned their way onto the varsity team with strong June showings. “The most improved player is Brett Lingerfelt,” said UCHS Coach Smith. “He played a bunch last year, even starting 20+ games. Last year he wasn’t needed to be a big offensive threat, but this year he will be. He did a great job this summer of hitting shots and being one of our primary scorers.”
Blue Devils’ Top Ten. Here are ten important games for Unicoi County.
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- Johnson County (12/7)
- @ David Crockett (12/14)
- @ Sullivan East (1/4)
- Elizabethton (1/8)
- Hampton (1/14)
- @ Cloudland (1/15)
- @ Johnson County (1/25)
- Sullivan East (1/29)
- @ Elizabethton Creek (2/1)
- David Crockett (2/9)
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For Starters
- PF Austin O’Dell
- SF Gavin Casey
- SG Ty Thelen
- SG Brock Thompson
- PG Brett Lingerfelt
2017-2018 Record: 22-13
Head Coach: Michael Smith
NEWCOMERS: Coach Smith welcomes two key newcomers to his varsity squad. “Newcomers that will have an impact are Caleb Adkins and Nicholas Lynch,” said Coach Michael Smith. “These two guys will give us some size/length on both ends of the floor.”
OUTLOOK: Three seasons in a row, all three seasons Michael Smith sat at the Blue Devil throne, UCHS claimed nine or more District 1AA wins. That streak is in jeopardy if the post-Trevor epoch lacks offensive punch. The roster is deep enough to win yet another district title and Coach Smith deserves credit for consistently drawing up the winning blueprints. The blueprint just necessarily looks different than in recent years.