SEASON IN REVIEW: CHATHAM BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

03-25-09

After a few seasons of talented squads underachieving, new coach John Brantley revitalized and perhaps overachieved with this year’s young squad. Despite a pretty strong year in the Patroon, featuring eventual Class C state finalist Maple Hill, Class A Ichabod Crane, Class C power Rensselaer, and two very good Class B team’s in Hudson and Cairo-Durham, the Panthers were able to carve out a 9-9 record, which placed them in sixth in the league. Outside of league play, the Panthers squared off with Colonial Council foe Mechanicville twice, defeating them both times.

Although they finished just .500 in league play, the Panthers were impressive in some of their wins. Chatham lost twice to Maple Hill, ICC, and Rensselaer, but they were able to gain splits with both Hudson and Cairo-Durham, who finished ahead of them in the league standings. Their regular season record was good enough to help them gain the tenth seed in Class B, where they matched up with a veteran Cohoes squad. In that game, Chatham fought valiantly and kept the game close but, in the end, fell in the first round to end their season.

Chatham lost their top post player in Zach Kraham and their top guard in Jason Franks from last season’s squad, and many expected junior Kodiak Mullins to step up, but he transferred to New Lebanon, leaving many questions coming into this season. Despite solid minutes from a few veterans, it was one player, senior Brian Gauthier, who helped guide this young team early in the season with five double-digit games in his team’s first seven contests. Gauthier accepted a lesser role on the offensive end of the floor as the season went on and ended up averaging just over 9 points a game. Parker Niles, who missed a large chunk of the season with an injured leg from football, came back late to help this team surge. Niles’ only double-digit game of the season came in their final contest, when he put up 18 points to help keep his team in it. The biggest performances came from a trio of sophomores led by Will Gauthier. The tall point guard blossomed into a major star this season for the Panthers with his ability to pass, defend on the ball, block shots, and rebound the ball. All of that was in addition to his team-high 13 points a game, which included 30 three-pointers and double-digit contests in fifteen of his twenty-one games. A pair of 6' 2” forwards did their best work inside the arc. Brandon Johnson showed the ability to score down low and step outside to hit a jump shot while also rebounding, while Josh Keyes preferred to slash to the hoop. Keyes was also one of the most dangerous defensive players in the league.

The experience lost with Brian Gauthier, Niles, Matt Fischer, Paul Myers, and Mike Sirani will be sorely missed, but the majority of the team’s offense will return. The three sophomores—Will Gauthier, Brandon Johnson, and Josh Keyes—will be huge on both ends of the court and on the boards, but there is more in the cupboard than just those three. Junior guard Todd Van Alstyne is athletic and quick and could make some noise next year much as he did in a 15-point outburst against Coxsackie near the end of the season, and big man Sebastian Acheson has the size to make him a real factor. I’d expect the Panthers to approve greatly on this past season’s success and possibly even contend for a Patroon Conference crown next year.

Most Valuable Player: Will Gauthier (Sophomore)
There were a lot of important pieces to this team, but none more valuable than Gauthier. At 6' 1”, with long arms, he’s got a distinct size advantage over most small forwards in this league, let alone the point guards he’s generally matched up against. Gauthier is a good passer and rebounder but even more dangerous on the defensive end where he is a big-time steal guy and the only guard who received multiple votes for Best Shot Blocker in our ccSCOOP Players’ Poll. His ability to weave to the hoop on fast breaks or bury a three in the half court makes him a tough cover for any defense.

Biggest Game: Tuesday, February 10, against Cairo-Durham
They had already fallen to the Mustangs once earlier in the season, but in this late season showdown, the Panthers picked up a big win heading toward sectionals. Chatham jumped on the ‘Stangs early and never looked back en route to a 47-32 win.

Most Improved: Josh Keyes (Sophomore) and Brandon Johnson (Sophomore)
Both these young forwards emerged as solid all-around players for the Panthers. Both could score and rebound, while Johnson showcased a good jump shot and Keyes made plays on the defensive end.

Best Returning Player: Will Gauthier (Sophomore)
He was the team’s most valuable player as a sophomore, so what does that mean for his junior year? He will return as the league’s highest returning scorer and one of the toughest matchups in the Patroon.

Up and Comer: Sebastian Acheson (Freshman)
A player who scored just 38 points all season, didn’t have a single double-digit game or a three pointer, and shot just 60 percent from the free- throw line as the top up and comer? Absolutely. At a very long 6' 4”, Acheson has the size that is going to make him a tough matchup, and he was only a freshman this year. Big guys generally take longer to develop, which means his best days are ahead of him—perhaps even next season, which could really help the Panthers in a title quest.