Road Warriors: Jonesville boys hoops earns third road win of the year at Leslie
LESLIE — With just two returning starters from the 2022-23 district title run, the Jonesville boys basketball team has been working to get everyone up to speed, and there have been some bumps along the way. However, coach Jeff Turner and the Comets can hang their hats on one key stat that stands out in early December: The Comets are undefeated on the road.
More: Vote for the week 1 boys and girls basketball players of the week; voting closes Thursday
Their 52-46 win over Leslie on Tuesday night was their third win in a hostile environment this season. Sure, things haven't looked as good on their home floor as they have at places like Arbor Prep or Vandercook Lake, but they have been resilient while taking their lumps in early December hoops action.
"Out of 10 kids, we only have two kids that have had a lot of varsity experience," Turner said. "Teaching those other kids what it takes to be a varsity basketball player just takes time sometimes. But our guys have been like a sponge at practice. They're soaking up all the coaching and what we are telling them at practice, and now we are starting to see it on gameday. It's a huge step in the right direction for our guys.
"Their willingness to learn and make adjustments to their game to benefit the team has been good for us and our kids. Everyone is bought in, and they know we are not at our best, where we could be. But we are heading in the right direction."
More: Vote for the Week 1 Athlete of the Week - Winter Sports; Poll Closes Thursday
Senior Warrick Elder broke past the 100 points barrier with 21 against the Blackhawks. Elder averages 22 points per game for the Comets, and it's clear that the offense will run through him this season.
"He's done a really good job," Turner said. "Last year, his role was different than the one he has this year. He took some ownership with where we are as a team and program and everything he's done in the offseason. It's a lot of stuff people don't see, the multiple hours in the gym getting shots up and all the camps he went to in the summer. He's prepared himself for this role and he's done a good job with it."
Senior Gavin Van Kampen is playing a completely new role compared to last season. In this new role, Van Kampen has nearly scored double-digit points in all five games. Van Kampen had another 10 points against Leslie.
"Up and down the line, we are getting really good contributions from everybody. We are pretty excited about that."
"Gavin's another one that his role last year versus this year is totally different. He knows he has to be an anchor for us on defense and score some buckets for us. He's coming into his own, too. I think with those two (Gavin and Warrick), we got really good senior leadership, but we got some other guys who are stepping up, too."
One of those athletes, who had a standout night, for the Comets is Micah Calligan. Calligan was 6-of-8 from the free throw line and had 10 total points.
"He played his best game of the season," Turner said. "He did some really good things for us."
Turner has seen several players step up. Drew Bradley hit a crucial three-pointer in the third quarter. Mackinlee Packer came in during the fourth quarter and got four points.
Defense will continue to be one of the major areas the Comets want to practice on this December. Coach Turner says the team still has a lot of growing to do and that they are nowhere near where they think they can be when they enter the final two-thirds of their season after the New Year.
"We know we got a third of our season that we play before the New Year," Turner said. "So, we're trying to figure out how good we are going to be heading into the last two-thirds of the season. We are heading into the right direction. Hillsdale got us at home, and Michigan Center got us at home, but we are competing. We feel like we just need to keep on competing and growing. Our defense is coming around, and we know there's a lot of potential growth for that."
Another area of improvement for Turner and the coaching staff will be working on their free throw shooting and shooting in general. The Comets were 12-of-19 from the line and had just two triples against Leslie, but the team has found a formula to win in their first-ever season of Cascades basketball.
The Comets have won two league games in a row. It is a successful mark for a program that transitioned from the Big 8 to the Cascades over the offseason. The Comets have yet to win at home, but they'll have an opportunity to get that elusive victory this week on Dec. 15 against Addison.
More: Top Performers Week 1: County athletes impress in opening season duals and games
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Jonesville boys hoops battles to third road win of the season
