Conference: 2A-4 East
Coach: Dusty Wright
Assistant coach: Kevin Moore
2009-2010 record: 24-3; 12-0 in conference play
Returning starters: Jeffrey Spikes, a 6-2 forward. Head coach Dusty Wright said Spikes has worked hard to become a good rebounder. “Jeff will be a guy that a lot of teams focus on, but when he is patient he is tough to defend,” he said. Mike Jiles Jr. a 5-10 senior guard is also returning. Wright said he is one of the top five defenders in the conference over the past two years. “He has a knack for making big plays,” Wright said. Finally, Jaylen Ester, a 5-10 senior forward will return with quick hands and a quick step. “Jaylen can get to the rim better than most guys his size,” Wright said.
Best inside players: Jaylen Ester and Jeffery Spikes. “Even though he's not very tall, [Ester] has proven that when he goes inside, he’s tough to defend,” Wright said. “And even though I wouldn’t normally call Jeff an inside player, this year he may have to fill that role some.” Wright said he trusts Spikes to be versatile and play inside and out.
Best outside players: Mike Jiles Jr., Dadrian Ester and Kevin Dominguez will be the main outside presence for the Little Johns this year. Jiles is a playmaking guard; Dadrian is a past point guard who gets into the lane and Dominguez will take up slack Wright said last year’s seniors provided.
How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year: “I look for our team to continue to compete at high level in our league. I think we will push to be a top 2-3 team in our conference,” Wright said.
Strengths of the team: Wright said the biggest strength of his team will be speed and athleticism. “Those two attributes should pay dividends with the style we like to play,” he said.
Weaknesses of the team: Danville lost many high-performing players to graduation last year. However, Wright said his returning seniors and other upperclassmen are ready to take over and step up. “This could be a sensational year for the Little Johns,” he said.
Games to watch: Magazine
College prospects: Jeffery Spikes
In a nutshell: Wright said he is looking forward to this season after last year’s success. “I think we can compete for a chance at the conference title,” he said. More important, Wright said he enjoys spending time with the young men he coaches, and thinks their success will be good for Danville in general. “My hope is that we can move a step closer to being a program that is respected across the state.”