Cousino’s Justin Lifshay is going to be busy again this basketball season.
A Macomb County Tier 1 All-Star for 2022-23, the point guard helped the Patriots win a share of the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division championship. As one of the team’s three returning starters, the senior will be counted on again to be a force.
“I haven’t taken him off the floor in three years. That’s not changing this year,” coach Joe Kohl said. “He’s an all-around leader. This is the hardest-working kid I’ve ever seen. His jump shot’s improving along with his decision making and overall maturity.”
Post player Sam Hawk and shooting guard Nicholas Farr also return for the Patriots, who settled their roster after tryouts early in the week.
“I’ve got three starters returning, which is good,” Kohl said. “We’re young, too. I’ve got three sophomores and three freshmen.
“The core guys that are here are really good leaders.”
Cousino got mileage out of several sophomores on the football team that won a share of the MAC Gold Division championship and made the playoffs.
Perhaps similar contributions will be made on the hardwood.
“A lot of these young guys are going to have big roles — shortly,” Kohl said. “They are going to have some significant minutes.”
Winning last year set a tone for the program, Kohl said.
“It builds a culture,” Kohl said. “The young guys coming in saw it. Hopefully it works out.”
Cousino and Utica both won at home as the teams split their Blue games last season. Each finished 9-1.
That Cousino team also featured county all-star Donald Wilburn, who graduated.
“We’re going to play up-tempo,” Kohl said. “We’re long. We’re lean. We should be able to get up and down the floor. That’s the goal.
“We want to pressure the ball, do a lot of trapping and play man-to-man.”
Hawk is 6-foot-2.
“Sam’s a big guy and is very active around the rim,” Kohl said. “He can finish at the rim.
“He’s going to do a lot for us this year.”
Farr played a key defensive role in the victory over Utica last season.
“He can be a lock-down defender,” Kohl said.
Cousino starts the season against defending MAC White champion Port Huron Northern at Center Line on Dec. 2.
The Patriots open the Blue season against Anchor Bay on Dec. 15.
“It should be interesting,” Kohl said of the division race. “It can go a lot of ways.”
Other teams in the Blue are Ford, Fraser, Lake Shore and Utica.