Boys’ varsity basketball head coach Ed Enoch held tryouts on Nov. 18 and 19 in the main gym. 

Congratulations to the following members who made the cut: Freshmen Jake Grier, Kyle Dittus, Colin O’Sullivan, Matt Winngen, DJ Cerisier, Adriel Tiburcio and Noah Schlosser. Sophomores Logan Fischer, Sam Fink, Cole Fisher, Cole Jackson and Crishon Avery. Juniors Christian Gear, Zehier Cheeze, Dan Simpson and Josh Spruill. Seniors Jackson Treski, Ngianni Cerisier, Jack Marvin, Shane Gallagher, Anthony Liott and Ben Schlosser.

Ever wondered about the philosophy behind these tryouts? I talked to Coach Enoch before Monday night’s first tryout about his take on tryouts and what makes an ideal player for his style of coaching.

Q: How long have you been coaching basketball?

A: I’ve been coaching for six years at HH, but this is my 41st year coaching basketball

Q: Is there any stress surrounding the tryout process?

A: No, because we have had a lot of open gyms, which have given us a good idea of who will take. We already have about 90% of our team figured out.

Q: What is the best drill to get a good look at the players?

A: It’s a long tryout, we are gonna do a bunch of drills, but running 5v5 full court gives us the best looks at players, and how they play the game and interact with other teammates.

Q: What are some things you look for in a player beyond skill?

A: Good teammate, someone who is coachable and listens well, enthusiasm, and some leadership qualities like communication.

Q: Do you believe in a more hands-on or hands-off approach to tryouts?

A: It is a combination, but for the most part we are trying to watch the kids play without too much instruction.

Q: Do you have a coaching philosophy, if so what is it?

A: I’m a defensive-minded coach. Hard workers and kids that do the “little things” are the foundation of a winning team.

Q: How has the game of basketball changed in your 41 years of coaching, and how has that changed your tryouts?

A: Obviously the three pointer and how popular it has grown, kids want to shoot threes. ESPN has changed the game a lot as a lot of players watch NBA highlight reels and want to play “hero ball.” But, at the end of the day, it is still the same basic game, you’ve got to rebound, pass and play good defense to win.

The Hatters have a scrimmage on Tues., Nov. 26 at C.B East.