Utica won a rare boys conference basketball championship last year, and with 10 players back from that team the Chieftains are determined to keep a good thing going.
“I don’t shy away from expectations. We should be good again,” coach Dave Hinkle said. “We embrace it.”
Senior captains Mason Brodi, Sebastian Soriano and Ali Hasan will lead the charge.
“They are the rocks of the team,” Hinkle said. “They are here every morning. They hold everyone accountable.”
The Chieftains, who shared the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division championship with Cousino, had their first official practice Wednesday following two days of tryouts.
“Our guys are really excited,” Brodi said.
Brodi, Soriano and the 6-foot-3 Hasan will initiate the offense in what Hinkle said will be a “four-guard-oriented” lineup.
“Mason and Sebastian can both handle the ball, make free throws down the stretch and knock down big shots,” Hinkle said. “Ali can handle the ball, too, as a ‘stretch 4.’ We can give him the ball and get (Brodi and Soriano) off the ball. We can run plays to get them open shots. When they catch it, they can create.”
Brodi was the leading scorer last year as Utica won a league championship for the first time since 2012 and only the second time in more than 40 years.
“His strength and athletic ability get better and better as he gets older,” Hinkle said. “His knowledge of the game has always been there, but now he’s seeing more things on the court.
“He’s one of the best in the county, if not the best. He has accepted all the responsibilities.”
Soriano was a Blue Division all-star last season.
“He’s a floor general,” Hinkle said. “He can really fill it up. He’s another leader on the court. He does all the right things.
“He was in the gym shooting all summer long. He ripped one of the nets. I had to buy a new net.”
Hinkle had multiple agendas for the first day of practice.
“Get everyone caught up, back up to speed,” he said. “We’ve got five new kids — got to get them caught up. We’re walking through a lot of stuff, working conditioning into our drills. We’re introducing some new things.”
Utica opens the season Nov. 29 at Port Huron Northern, the defending White Division champion that will be finding its way following the graduation of Mr. Basketball Tyler Jamison.
Brodi said the Chieftains, who lost to Troy in a district semifinal game last year, must all improve.
“It’s always a goal to grow,” Brodi said. “At the end of last season, we all knew we could get better.
“We’ve got a lot of returning guys, and their roles are changing. They’ve got to improve, step up, take bigger roles. Everybody has to get better.”
Utica will use versatility and athleticism in the foundation of its defense.
“We get out in the passing lanes,” Hinkle said. “We’re very aggressive off the ball. We’re quick. We’re smart about things.
“We want to create some havoc.”
Brodi said the defense will create offense.
“We get in passing lanes, and as soon as we get that steal or jump that lane and get a deflection, we’re going for a layup or an open 3.
“Last year we took about 50 charges, guys laying their bodies on the line. We expect the same things this year.”
Utica plays White Division member Eisenhower at Center Line on Dec. 2. The Chieftains also have a game against Red Division Stevenson on their slate before opening the Blue schedule against Fraser and new coach Steve Norgrove on Dec. 15.
“I try to warn these guys every day: Anyone within our league can come and get you on a given night,” Hinkle said. “If we don’t come ready to play, it’s going to be tricky.
“We want to be the favorites, but we’re aware that other teams can beat you.”
“Last year we did not get as far as we wanted,” Brodi added, “so that’s been a goal all summer — to get better and go further.”