ST. VINCENT BOYS TRY `GO TO' COMMITTEE

In the past when St. Vincent boys basketball coach Bruce Valleroy needed a critical basket, he always had a go-to guy to turn to.

In his first season as head coach, Valleroy gave the ball to Jason Bauwens. Then Scott Pingel and Jason Buerck followed and last year Valleroy had the school's second-leading all-time scorer to turn to in Jonathan Wengert.

But Wengert and his 21 points per game average have graduated from last year's 11-15 team, leaving St. Vincent with no particular star player to turn to.

With three seniors providing leadership, Valleroy hopes to use a committee of talented juniors that went 17-7 at the JV level last year -- and won a district title on the football field this season -- to carry that winning attitude onto the basketball court.

"This group had some success when they played JV and all but two played on the football team this season," said Valleroy. "Because of the long football season we'll be off to a slow start, but that's fine. We'll eventually catch up by Christmas."

Seniors Chad Winkler (9 ppg), Dustin Moll (6 ppg) and Josh Wheeler (3 ppg) will be counted on to increase their offensive production and provide leadership.

"Those three guys will have to be our leaders," said Valleroy. "Dustin led the JV in scoring as a sophomore, but his roll was changed last year. Both Dustin and Josh came off the bench last year, but they should become more of an offensive threat."

Eight juniors will be counted on to provide balanced scoring and plenty of depth throughout the season.

Kyle Eggers (6-2) and Michael Winkler (6-2) will be counted on for inside scoring along with Moll. Eggers averaged 12 points a game on the JV last year.

Other juniors expected to see action are Ben Favier (6-1), Bryan Meyer (5-9), Trent Sauer (5-9), Dusty Wengert (5-10), Dusty Cattoor (5-9) and Ryan Geringer (5-10).

Sophomore center Ryan Prost (6-2), Most Valuable Player of the JV as a freshman with a scoring average of 16 points, will split time between the varsity and JV.

"We may go with a different starting five every night and we may go 11 or 12 deep every night," Valleroy said. "I really don't care who starts; it's who finishes. That's most important to me."

Despite the losing record last year, the Indians will be gunning for their fourth consecutive Jefferson County small school's division title. Last year St. Vincent was 4-5 in the league, but 3-1 against small schools.

Valleroy expects Herculaneum to pose the toughest test of the small schools. Festus, Hillsboro and De Soto look like the top teams overall in the league.

St. Vincent opens next Tuesday with a non-conference game at Arcadia Valley.