By Bill Bray
TOLEDO – For the second week in a row, the Fremont Ross Little Giants were scheduled away from home. For the second week in a row, it was the same result as they fell to Toledo Whitmer 70-86 in the Giants first TRAC contest of the season.
Still coping with nagging injuries and a late start due to the extended football season, Ross is still reeling a bit from being shoved into the Basketball season. “We have had very few practices with everyone on the floor,” coach John Cahill admitted. “We have a kid like Bryson Hammer who was forced to play extended time tonight with only having two days of practice behind him.” Hammer had broken his hand in the first football playoff game and is not just trying to get into ‘basketball shape’.
Then there are some that are just natural athletes, take Kaden Holmes for example. Holmes, an all-Ohio candidate in football, has hit the basketball court running. Friday night is the case in point. The ‘court general’ for the Little Giants, Holmes had a season high 26 points in the loss to lead all scorers. The junior scored eight of Fremont’s 15 first quarter points. He led the Giants in scoring three of the four quarters played.
The Little Giants did have eight players in the scoring column when all was said and done. Following Holmes, Carter Rodriquez tallied 15 points, footballer Anthony Vann, rounding into basketball shape, added 12 points, Labronze Barnett, still plagued by a shoulder injury from football, added seven points. Kurt Harrison had five points, Bryson Hammer and Jaedyn Bulger had two points apiece and Adam Hrynciw added one point.
In looking at the stats, the category that stuck out in a negative light for the Little Giants was from the foul line. The lack of practice and other factors were brought to light as Ross, taken to the line and hitting 20 of 40 of those freebies.
The Little Giants played evenly with the Panthers in the second half. The scoresheets show that Whitmer won the second half 45-43. It was the slow start that gave Ross the wrong results. The Panthers had four players in double figures led by Deric Jaynes with 21 points.
“We’ve had more adversity this preseason than any season I’ve been through”, Cahill said. “”We have yet to have them all healthy and playing. I love this team. They battle.. We will be a tough team to beat down the road.”
Fremont’s Kaden Holmes led all scorers with 26 points.
Jaedyn Bulger drives to the basket during first half action at Whitmer.
Labronze Barnett shows his shooting form during first half action against Toledo Whitmer