Lansing boys basketball off to another strong start

Last season, the Lansing boys basketball team flew out of the gates to start the season, winning nine of its first 10 games. This time around, it’s more of the same.

As of January 8, the Bobcats are a perfect 8-0 and stand alone as the only undefeated team in the IAC. Not only are they one of the top teams in the league and Section IV, they’re also getting state-wide recognition. Through the first three weeks of the New York State Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA) rankings, Lansing was ranked among the top six in Class B. Head coach Joey Volpicelli attributed their outstanding start to a more experienced squad.

“Having a senior-oriented team makes it a little easier in the beginning of the season,” Volpicelli said. “Everybody already really knows what we want to do, how we want to do it, and then we can fine-tune some things. We don’t really have to start from scratch, so that definitely makes it a lot easier as a coach.”

One of the more notable trends that the Bobcats have displayed so far is their ability to dominate the second half. The majority of their games have been tight heading into the locker room, but time and time again, Lansing always finds a way to pull away.

“To start this year, we were considered one of the better teams in the IAC,”  Volpicelli said. “When that happens, a lot of teams mark the calendar when they’re playing us, so they come out swinging. So far, we’ve been able to really take any blow that’s been given to us, make a few minor adjustments at halftime, but then stick to our plan and pull away in the second half. We haven’t really gotten too frustrated at ourselves or anything like that. We’ve been able to stay pretty calm. They’re able to keep their composure, and then we’re able to put it all together and pull away at the end.”

The Bobcats are powered by the dynamic duo of Jordan Sidle and Aiden Hathorn. The two are each averaging around 20 points per game, making them one of the most dangerous guard pairings in the section.

“It’s fun to watch and it’s fun to coach,” Volpicelli said. “If we need a big shot, one of them seems to make it. In years past, I might have one kid on the team we got to get them the ball. But it’s easier to defend one player. Now when you have two that literally can shoot it as soon as they get over half court, that makes it difficult. We’re able to put a lot of pressure on opposing teams.”

For Hathorn in particular, he’s the only player on the team that is in his third season at the varsity level. While the Bobcats are a more seasoned team as a whole, Hathorn brings that much more experience and leadership to the table to go along with his incredible talent.

“He’s been around a lot of winning the last few years,” Volpicelli said. “Every year, Aiden has just gotten better. He takes it serious in the gym. He plays 12 months a year. He’s out doing everything. His goal of playing at the next level is literally right in front of them. I know he’s going to have a chance to play at the next level, and I wish him all the best.”

Complementing Hathorn and Sidle is a strong presence down low with either Alex Girich or Chase Sneddon, with Girich having the starting role. Last time out, Girich’s season was cut short after tearing his ACL in late January and missed the Bobcats’ two postseason games. After missing the first two games of this season, he made his triumphant return to the court on December 8 against Watkins Glen, and he showed no signs of rust with a team-high 23 points. When Girich isn’t out on the court, Sneddon has also been a reliable force in the paint.

“Alex is just a big presence all the way around,” Volpicelli said. “But when he wasn’t in the first couple of games in our tournament, Chase did what he had to do. Chase stepped in. Against Trumansburg, Chase gave some very, very solid minutes to spell Alex. Chase is all of six feet, four inches, too. We take one big guy and we put another big guy in, so it’s nice.”

While the Bobcats are enjoying another successful first half of the season, Volpicelli knows that there’s a big target on their back and that the second half doesn’t get easier.

“We have to improve,” Volpicelli said. “We have to keep getting better. We can’t be satisfied with an 8-0 start. I think we were pretty close to the same [at this time] last year. Now it’s obvious. Now everybody’s gunning for us. We’re at the top right now. If we just stay stagnant, we’re gonna falter somewhere, so we always have to continue to improve, and it starts with practice.”