With five seniors and just two returning lettermen playing this season, the Carroll boys basketball team has looked to new stars to step up.
Junior point guard Ben Estis is one such player to answer the call this year. Although Estis made varsity as a sophomore last year, his role has expanded this season. Estis leads the team in scoring (11.6 points per game), free-throw percentage (77.4%) and three-point baskets (42 makes for 36.5%).
Senior shooting guard Dalton Coleman is second in scoring (8.5 ppg), first in rebounding (7.2 per game) and leads in assists (3.28 per game), while junior guard Eric Blanchard (7.9 ppg) and junior forward Austin Stipetic (6.1 ppg, 56.8% FG shooting) help create a well-balanced attack.
Sophomores like guards Carter Ruck (4.4 ppg) and Braylen McDade (3.8 ppg), as well as other sophomore athletes, have put in their playing time, logging minutes and gaining experience for future seasons.
"With our sophomores, I've seen a lot of growth as the season's progressed," says varsity assistant coach Jordan Willis. "We don't even think of them as sophomores anymore. We think of them as juniors."
SEASON RECAP
A season of growing pains might be the best way to describe the 2020-21 schedule for the Carroll boys basketball team. Youth, inexperience and some injuries created hurdles they were forced to overcome, but the Dragons faced the challenges and grew stronger as a team as the year progressed.
Carroll (10-11 overall, 2-6 in district with four games remaining) struggled in the heat of 4-6A competition. But their ability to fight and scrap against some solid programs was evident, as three of those six losses were by five points or less.
"They give it everything they've got and leave it all on the floor," says Carroll boys head coach Eric McDade. "We've had a lot of inexperience this year, but we've been able to grow as we've been going. We've developed to the point where we're kind of peaking toward the end."
An example of that improvement was displayed in the Dragons' second district meeting with V.R. Eaton (13-8 near season's end and in second place in 4-6A). After suffering a 75-52 loss in its first game with the Eagles, Carroll pushed Eaton throughout the game before losing by five.
The team also hung with top-seeded Byron Nelson (15-3 with three games remaining) before losing 49-46.
"I think our kids are just resilient," says varsity assistant coach Jon Cravens. "We don't know what we're in for day to day. But our kids have done a good job of coming in with a good mindset."
The Dragons had a strong pre-district showing, going 8-5 and posting impressive wins.