Streator Bulldogs Preview

The briefest of glances at the schedule which runs alongside this season preview will reveal the Streator Bulldogs' 2017-18 boys basketball season will get underway next week in Ottawa's Dean Riley "Shootin' the Rock" Tournament.

A look at the roster or a few moments spent talking with ninth-year head coach Beau Doty (116-111 career record) will reveal, however, that the success of the 2017-18 Bulldogs starts with the seniors — most notably returning starters Wes Jolly, John Benckendorf, Mitch Vickers and Joey Byers along with fellow 12th-grader and likely fifth starter this year Noah Mascal.

"We're really leaning on our veteran group," said Doty, whose Bulldogs last winter posted a winning, albeit at times frustrating 16-12 mark. "We've got six seniors who have had some varsity experience since their sophomore year, and three guys who have been starters on and off since their sophomore year.
"We're really looking to those guys for leadership, to establish an edge and a tone of competitiveness at practice each and every day and to show those juniors who are getting that varsity experience for the first time how to go about it. That's something we're counting on our seniors to do, and hopefully they can deliver on that for us."
The Bulldogs' all-senior starting five comes in with plenty of experience and talent as it looks to fill the shoes of three standouts — D'Angelo Pryor, Dakota Limberg and Adam Brown — gone to Pomp and Circumstance.

Vickers (8.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 spg in 2016-17) can handle the ball and create good looks at the basket seemingly at will; Byers (3.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg) is a versatile, high-energy sparkplug; Benckendorf (5.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.9 apg) brings both muscle to the paint and a good if streaky shooting touch to the perimeter; all indications are the 6-4 Jolly (3.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg) is poised for a breakout senior season; and Noah Mascal (1.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg), also standing 6-4, seems ready for a starting nod after appearing in 22 games last season.
After a couple seasons filled with ups and downs, Doty expects this group's play — through experience and offseason work — to be more steady its last go-round in the Red and White, especially with potentially potent weapons both inside and out.
"It should be a group that's pretty consistent," he said. "This is one of our bigger teams as far as size goes with lineups we can potentially put out there with both size and strength. I think that'll be one of our strengths, playing through the interior a little bit, and I think we could be a load for some teams on the boards. ...

"You complement that with Joey's ability to slash and get in the paint, Mitch being one of the better guards in the league with great athleticism and anticipation on defense and the ability to get hot on the perimeter or get in the lane and finish, and Johnny's knack for offensive boards and (ability to shoot) the 3."
With the first five all but set, the rest of the roster — which includes seniors Hunter Telford (1.1 ppg last season), Coltin Grace (0.8 ppg), Jared Groesbeck and Kyle Cantrell as well as 11th-graders Logan Colter, Grant Mascal, Chase Ramon, Terrence Jordan and Ruben Diaz — is competing for roles and floor time. That process has made practices this preseason interesting, and according to Doty could prove to be the key to the Bulldogs' season.

"Hopefully we can get some other guys to help contribute and increase our depth," said Doty. "We know what we've got with our returning guys. It's just a matter of how deep we'll be able to go, and I think that's part of the reason practices have been so competitive."

After the tournament in Ottawa, highlights on SHS's schedule include the December 2 Pops Dale Gymnsium opener against Putnam County, the Plano Christmas Classic December 26-30, home against La Salle-Peru on January 9 and a visit to another old NCIC rival, Ottawa, on February 20.
"I told our kids, our goals haven't changed from what they've been the last few years," Doty said. "That's to compete for a conference title, win 20 games and put ourselves in a position with a good seed to compete for a regional championship."
 
ROSTER
No. Player Pos. Ht. Yr.
1 Logan Colter G 6-0 Jr.
2 Kyle Cantrell G 5-10 Sr.
3 Mitch Vickers G 6-1 Sr.
4 Joey Byers G/F 6-2 Sr.
5 Ruben Diaz G 5-8 Jr.
10 John Benckendorf F 6-2 Sr.
12 Jared Groesbeck F 6-0 Sr.
13 Hunter Telford G 5-8 Sr.
20 Terrence Jordan G 5-11 Jr.
21 Coltin Grace F/C 6-4 Sr.
22 Noah Mascal F 6-4 Sr.
24 Chase Ramon G 6-1 Jr.
33 Wes Jolly C 6-4 Sr.
55 Grant Mascal F/C 6-4 Jr.
 
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent/Event Time
11/20-25 at Ottawa Riley Tourney TBA*
12/1 at Seneca 7 p.m.
12/2 PUTNAM CO. 6 p.m.
12/5 at Morris 7 p.m.
12/8 MANTENO 7 p.m.
12/15 at Reed-Custer 7 p.m.
12/26-30 at Plano Classic TBD
1/5 LISLE 7 p.m.
1/9 LA SALLE-PERU 7 p.m.
1/12 at Herscher 7 p.m.
1/13 ST. BEDE 6:30 p.m.
1/16 WILMINGTON 7 p.m.
1/19-26 at I-8 Tourney (Coal City) TBD
2/2 PLANO 7 p.m.
2/6 WESTMONT 7 p.m.
2/9 at Peotone 7 p.m.
2/16 at Sandwich 7 p.m.
2/20 at Ottawa 7 p.m.
2/23 at Coal City 7 p.m.
* Thanksgiving schedules

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