With LaLonde back, Martin looking for Generals to get untracked

  • brian questel
  • January 5, 2011
  • 286
                        
011011 WHSboysbk Promo: Generals return important addition to lineup With LaLonde back, Martin looking for Generals to get untracked By Brian Questel It wasn’t the start that Craig Martin and the Wooster Generals were looking for, but the Generals’ coach is ready to put that behind him. The reason is simple: senior Alex LaLonde’s injury is finally history and in the books. The 6-foot-5 senior was sent sprawling as the buzzer sounded on the Generals’ season opener ended, breaking his left wrist as the dunk that finished off Cloverleaf finished him off for five games as well. Wooster has gone 1-4 in his absence, including losses in all three of its Ohio Cardinal Conference games in that span. Martin, though, is looking ahead to what can happen over the final two-thirds of the season. “Alex is cleared and he got the cast off this morning (Jan. 4) and a soft splint put on,” said Martin. “That will give him three days of practice to get ready for Friday and Saturday. He’s been doing some conditioning the last 2-3 weeks, some running and getting up and down the floor. He’s been able to do some shooting as it’s his non-shooting hand. He’s got to get into game shape and knock some rust off, but he’s ready to go and help us. “We’re 2-4, but our record doesn’t reflect how we’ve played. We’ve been in every game and we lost our last game (62-57 to Madison) in overtime. Duke Price has stepped up and played very well and given us a scoring threat. Von Blair has played well and Grant Stokes has been solid even though he’s undersized in the post. James Hunter has been steady and Luke McGee and Wes Welker have really stepped up their game and given us scoring. Wes is not someone we thought would give us a scoring threat, but he has. “We’re only going to be better when Alex comes back and gives a little jolt.” Losing LaLonde, an early Air Force Academy signee, certainly hurt the team’s chemistry, but Martin thinks the team could be stronger, especially in light of the fact a couple games could have gone Wooster’s way during the past five games. “We’re 2-4, but we just as easily could be 4-2,” he said. “West Holmes was a game we let slip away and if a couple of possessions had gone differently against Madison, we’re 4-2. “I’m not frustrated and I don’t have a gloomy outlook. Our kids are hungry for our remaining games and the opportunities we have before us.” Part of that outlook is because “we have more depth and players have developed,” said Martin, looking at a pair of sophomores as examples of that development. “Von has got the ability and he’s learning the game. At times he makes mistakes, but that happens with young players. All players make mistakes, but they only continue to get better with experience. “Grant is very steady, very intelligent. He’s undersized, but he uses his body well in the post. He’s someone else who, with more varsity experience, is going to get better.” And, while down in the OCC, Martin isn’t willing to write the Generals off in the conference chase. “We’re 0-3, but the league in my mind is very wide open,” he said. “Senior and Lex are undefeated at 3-0, but I don’t see a team going undefeated. Eventually I think the league champ could have 3-4 losses. On any given night the league is that balanced.” Wooster played at Lexington Friday (Jan. 7) and returned home to play Lake Saturday (Jan. 8).


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