December 10, 2009
Bulldogs aim to turn program around under new leadership
Aaric Bryan/Valley Journal
Bulldog center Jake Durglo rises above Lakota Matt and Thomas Trahan for a shot at practice last week.
Valley Journal
ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission Bulldogs are hoping there is strength in numbers.
More than 30 athletes came out to help turn around the program from their 1-17 record last year. Lloyd Philips will be at the helm to steer the turnaround. It will be his second stint as the Mission coach. He coached the Bulldogs from 1987-2000. The exact numbers escape the coach, but he figures he collected more than 200 wins during that time and won at least 60 percent of his games.
Phillips said that in his first go at coaching it was a Mission tradition to always compete, and he expects to restore this tradition.
“Our goal is to have a chance to win every game. When it comes down to the final two minutes, we want to have a chance to win the game,” Phillips said, adding that they are going to do this, “by getting better everyday at practice, every possession, every quarter and every game.”
When the Bulldogs take the court, they’ll tower over most of their competition.
“Our strength is going to be really simple; it’s our size,” Phillips said.
Jorren Gies, a 6-foot-5 forward who made second team all-conference last year, will be back for the Bulldogs and should be their main scoring threat again. Phillips said that Gies is hard to defend because he can play the post, hit the outside shot, and beat defenders off the dribble.
Jake Durglo, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior, will control the paint for the Bulldogs. Durglo joined the Bulldogs midway through the season last year and got better each game.
“He’s pretty raw, but he improved a lot last year. He’s an athletic kid, and he’s been working really hard,” Phillips said.
Lakota Matt, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound starter last year, and Thomas Trahan, 6-foot-1, 280-pound senior, will also give Phillips valuable minutes in the post.
Riley Whitworth-Charlo, a 6-foot junior, will be back at guard for the Bulldogs. Charlo started in the position for the Bulldogs last year. Phillips said that Charlo is a hard worker and a great defender.
Gui Silva, a foreign-exchange student from Brazil, will join Charlo at the guard position. Phillips said the 6-foot-2 senior is very athletic and can also play the wing position.
When the Bulldogs start their season Dec. 11 at the Cats’ Tail Tournament in St. Regis, they’ll start the season with nobody with point guard experience, Phillips said.
Austin Durglo, who played the point for them last season, is out with an injury sustained in the football season. With Austin on the bench, Phillips said he will turn to Josh Durglo and Austin McDonald to run the team. All though Josh, a 5-foot-11 sophomore, and McDonald, a 5-foot-9 sophomore, have no experience at point guard this will all change by Christmas. From Dec. 17 to Dec. 22 the Bulldogs play four games.
Phillips expects Plains – last year’s regular season District 7-B champions – to be the frontrunners again, but expects every game in the district to be tough. He said that if the Bulldogs aren’t able to get the best of the teams, it isn’t because of lack of effort.
“If we’re not successful Friday and Saturday, it’s not because we didn’t work hard during the week,” he said. |
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