Schools
Dowling Catholic Boys' Basketball Looks to Rebuild
Last season, the Dowling boys' basketball team finished 17-6 and was one game away from playing in the state tournament. The Maroons graduated six seniors and now start fresh.
The Dowling Catholic boys' basketball team has much to learn this year.
Of last season's five starters, only one returns. And head coach Mark O'Connor says he graduated six seniors who played significant roles a year ago, as well.
"In terms of returning experience, we really only have one guy that has a lot of it, but two or three with a little bit," O'Connor said. "So, we're pretty inexperienced. We could have some growing pains early on, but I think by the end of the year we could be a pretty solid team."
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That "one guy" with significant experience is a good one. Amara Darboh started every game last season for the Maroons, averaging 8.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
He's being recruited by football powers Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame, Iowa, Wisconsin and others as a wide receiver. And he dislocated his shoulder early in the Maroons' football season this fall.
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"We're kind of just waiting to see what happens with the shoulder here," O'Connor said. "But as of right now, he looks good, you wouldn't know he had any injury. So, we're keeping our fingers crossed."
Aside from Darboh, the Maroons return minimal experience. Two of them are Brody Adams and Matthew Haack, who combined averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds.
O'Connor says the key is not to try to rush success.
"With this group we've got so much work to do and so much to learn and so much to teach," he said. "I think we're just taking it one step at a time right now and just trying to be the best we can be right now.
"With our inexperience we just have to focus on the present. We can't get too far ahead of ourselves."
With the inexperience of this Dowling team, the Central Iowa Metro League will provide a tumultuous ride this season. The league is loaded with ranked teams, and the Central Conference is no exception.
"I would say Ankeny is probably a clear-cut favorite to win the conference," O'Connor said. "They have six or seven guys back from a team that went to the final four last year. They have a ton of experience, they have great chemistry and great coaching, they'll be the team to beat down here."
The Maroons will play Ankeny at Dowling on Dec. 20.
Dowling lost its season opener to Des Moines Roosevelt, 54-38, Tuesday. The Maroons will next be in action Friday at North.