Published: November 19, 2008 11:12 pm      

Peru shoots for more success

Defending sectional champs welcome back three returning starters.

PERU — Peru boys basketball coach Eric Thompson finally got to experience cutting down the nets after winning the Class 3A Peru Sectional last season.

He would love to enjoy the moment again next March, but he knows it will be a tough assignment.

“We would love to repeat as sectional champs,” he said. “A lot of teams in the sectional have everyone back, so it will be more competitive. Everyone’s talent level has gone up a notch. Fort Wayne Elmhurst is one of those teams and they have a new coach. Fort Wayne Wayne has its top player returning, and coach Doug Hicks’ coaching will keep Norwell in games. Coach Luke Zartman will have Maconaquah ready and Bellmont had a lot of young scorers coming back. We’ll have to work hard and see what happens.”

There is no difference in the sectional field this season, only the location of the tournament. Wayne will host after Peru had honors last year.

Another goal that Thompson would like to see his team reach is finishing in the top half of the Mid-Indiana Conference final standings.

“The conference is tough as nails,” Thompson said. “We’d love to place higher than what we did last year (the Tigers were 12-12 overall and 2-5 in the MIC). Hamilton Heights is a team that everyone will be watching. There will be a whole bunch of teams battling it out in the middle.”

Those two goals could be very attainable with three returning starters — 6-foot-2 junior forward Wes Zimmerman, 6-1 junior guard Terry Smith and 6-2 sophomore forward Taylor Smith. Other returnees, primarily backups last season, are 6-5 senior forward Mason Zimmer and 6-2 junior forward Justin Engel.

Zimmerman is the top returning scorer at 12.1 points per game. Taylor Smith and Terry Smith each averaged 7.1 ppg.

Newcomers include 6-1 junior guard Danny Comerford, 6-4 sophomore forward Luke Primerano, 5-10 junior guard Nathan Gillespie and 6-2 senior forward Austin Shaw.

“The three starters will have more of a leadership role,” Thompson said. “Also, we want the players coming off the bench to step in and become major contributors.”

Thompson sees his five experienced players returning as a team strength.

“We have quite a few guys who have quality minutes on the court,” he said. “We also have quickness and a lot of grit. We have players who are pretty much interchangeable at this time.”

Thompson also noted that despite having some experienced players, he still has a reasonably young squad.

“We have two seniors, and one of them didn’t play much, so we will miss the senior leadership that we had last year,” Thompson said.

“Our height will also be a weakness. We have only two players taller than 6-2, and when you go up against teams that have players 6-7, you will have to make it up in other ways.”

Peru lost to graduation Kokomo Tribune All-Area player Jairus Burt along with Matt Richardson and Keaton Worland. Burt led the Tigers in scoring at 14.4 ppg and Richardson was the top rebounder at 5.4 rpg.

Thompson is seeing progress on a daily basis.

“Our guys are working very hard, and we will work toward having a team of championship quality,” he said. “We are not accepting anything less.”

Peru schedule:

JV games start at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Wednesday — Southwood

Nov. 29 — Logansport

Dec. 5 — at Wabash

Dec. 12 — Plymouth

Dec. 16 — Tippecanoe Valley

Dec. 19 — at Eastern

Dec. 29 — Miami Co. Tourney at Maconaquah

Dec. 30 — Miami Co. Tourney at Maconaquah

Jan. 3 — at Norwell

Jan. 9 — Kokomo

Jan. 10 — at Oak Hill

Jan. 16 — Maconaquah

Jan. 23 — Taylor

Jan. 30 — at Western

Feb. 6 — Cass

Feb. 7 — at Manchester

Feb. 12 — at Northwestern

Feb. 20 — at Rochester, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 24 — North Miami

Feb. 27 — Hamilton Heights