Team Preview:
Written By: Will Hoenike
The re-birth of the Coeur d’Alene Charter boys basketball program is moving along in the 2A Central Idaho League.
The Panthers are once again competing at a varsity level after playing a junior varsity schedule last season and second-year head coach Jarrod Womack has three important starters back this season in junior point guard Eli Putren, senior post player Chuck Fellini and power forward Jeffrey Kersh.
Kersh, in particular, brings some offense to the Panthers’ lineup. He notched 16 and 18 points in two contests against Clark Fork last season, 14 in a January contest against Wallace and 13 later in the season against Mullan. Fellini and Putren also chipped in offensively, but Kersh provided consistent offense for the Panthers last season. The team welcomes freshman forward Jacob Rutherford to the lineup this season, too, giving Womack a little more depth.
When asked about his team, Womack noted his team’s improved experience and three-point shooting as important pieces of the puzzle this season for the Panthers.
On the flip side of the coin, the coach pointed out rebounding as a key area of growth for his team as it looks to continue its improvement. The Central Idaho League will present a stern challenge for not just the Panthers, but any of the four teams involved. The league qualified two for the state tournament last season, including state-semifinalist St. Maries. So Womack and the Panthers will need to continue its improvement against a tough league.
The team won one game two seasons ago and increased the total to five last season along with gaining valuable game experience. With bona-fide varsity presences like Putren, Fellini and Kersh, there is reason to believe the program growth will continue.
The Panthers have an opportunity to build momentum with its first four games at home, including three against 1A Kootenai, Wallace and Lakeside. If Womack’s crew can pick up some early wins, it bodes well going into league play once the calendar flips to 2016.The team will open up CIL play on its home floor on January 2 when Grangeville visits. After that game, the Panthers play eight of their next ten games away from home, a critical juncture before closing with its final three games back at home to wrap up the regular season.
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