Season Preview: Roadrunners Looking to Take Next Step

Nazareth Academy head boys basketball coach John Bonk listed a few reasons his team finished under .500 in 2009-10: a coaching staff that didn't fully understand the team's identity; lack of depth; inconsistent effort; inconsistent execution.

Bonk said the first two won't be a problem in 2010-11. The Roadrunners open their season at the Riverside-Brookfield Invite Wednesday with an up-tempo, run-and-gun identity and a deeper, more experienced roster featuring nine seniors and seven juniors.  

The other two—effort and execution—are on the players.

"It's a matter of putting it together," senior forward Ryan Powers said. "The team chemistry is there. The work ethic is there."

Senior point guard Patrick Kelly put it bluntly.

"We're fired up," he said.

Last season, Nazareth finished 13-15. They went 4-9 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. For the third time in four seasons, according to Bonk, the team made it to a Regional final and lost. After graduating just three seniors, Bonk said a goal of the team is to advance to a Sectional for the first time since 1991.

"Every year we get closer and closer, we just can't get over the hump," Powers said.

Bonk agreed.

"We're always in a loaded Sectional," Bonk said. "It would be nice to go in with a better seed. To do that, we've got to play some great basketball."

Key games for Nazareth this season include next week's opening stretch versus Brother Rice (Nov. 24), Riverside Brookfield (Nov. 26) and Manley (Nov. 27).

"The Riverside-Brookfield tournament always tells us where we are at," Powers said.

Notable conference opponents include 3A Super Sectionals qualifier St. Viator (Jan. 14) and 4A Super Sectional qualifier Benet (Jan. 28).

Kelly said the team also has their Jan. 21 home game versus St. Patrick circled on the calendar. Nazareth upset the Shamrocks on the road last February in their final regular season game.

But Bonk said the Roadrunners won't catch as many teams like St. Pat's by surprise this year.

"Teams we beat last year will be gunning for us," he said. But Bonk also expressed confidence his team's chances at the Rooney Center. "At this time with the kids we have, we should be able to hold our home court."  

Powers and Kelly said the Roadrunners will need junior forward Louis Marino hitting the boards, senior guard Jack Ryan's hustle, and sophomore guard John Bonk (Coach Bonk's son) hitting shots off the bench.

But a lot of the team's success, the elder Bonk said, will be because of Powers, Kelly, and AJ Ryan—all players with three years of varsity experience. The coach expects Powers to end the season as Nazareth's third all-time leading scorer.    

"He's a great leader, a great ambassador for our team," Bonk said of Powers.

With Kelly, the Roadrunners have a solid distributor at the point.

"Pat gets the most out of his body," Bonk said. "With the ball in his hands, we feel safe."

Nazareth is going to be a running team that will push the ball quickly in transition. Bonk said he has plenty of athletic players on his team who can get to the rim and score easy baskets.

Experience, again, is crucial.  

"We've got the maturity to know when we have the fast break and when we don't," Bonk said.

So where will all this experience take the Roadrunners?

"I see us going to the State Championship," Kelly said with a smile.

Powers scaled it back.

"We have high expectations," the forward said. "Realistically, we always want to do better than the year before."