Bulldogs look to continue upward trend

It’s a different year, but the goals are the same for the Northern Lehigh boys basketball team.

“This year’s goals are the same as they are every year,” explained veteran Northern Lehigh coach Jeff Miller.

Miller explained that qualifying for the Colonial League playoffs, the District 11 playoffs, and improving as the year goes on is what is expected of his team this year and every year.

Miller is also hoping to continue the upward trend his team demonstrated a year ago. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-15 campaign — a six-win improvement over the previous season.

Senior Geo Colon, accompanied by juniors Brandon Hess and Preston Kemery are three players who Miller said to keep an eye on in the 2017-18 season.

All three gained plenty of varsity experience a year ago, playing in all 22 games. Hess (12.27 points per game) is the team’s top returning scorer. Colon (8.36 ppg.) and Kemery (5.36 ppg.) also played major roles.

The trio will look to step up their game this season to help offset the loss of leading scorer Joe Egan (15.73 ppg.), who has graduated.

Also expected to see varsity playing time for the Bulldogs are seniors Mason Seiler (2.0 ppg.), Robert Shoff (1.38 ppg.) and Zak Sullivan; juniors Nick Seiler (1.35 ppg.), Nate Keller (1.38 ppg.), and Edge Kroll; and sophomores Alec Berger, Zach Moyer and Kole Richards.

Coach Miller describes this year’s preseason as good and upbeat.

He focused on three scrimmages where his team played against some of the bigger schools in the region.

“I love our early scrimmages,” Miller said. “We played much bigger schools with talent we might not see all year long.”

He said his team stood the test when scrimmaging Pottsville, Delaware Valley and Northampton.

Miller explained that between the scrimmages and their early season schedule that has them at the Hamburg Tip-off Tournament, the Bulldogs should be well prepared for the start of the Colonial League season.

“We play in the Hamburg Tournament every year and there are a lot of good teams involved. It should be a good test for our guys,” said Miller.

When asked about the Colonial League, Miller called Bangor the team to beat this year.

“It’s Bangor and everyone else,” said Miller.

He added that while Bangor looks like the early team to beat, the rest of the league should be wide open and will be very competitive.

“Our guys are going to have to come play every night,” Miller said. “Hopefully, these early tough games and scrimmages open their eyes and make them realize that there are no easy games.”

While Egan was counted on to lead the team night-in and night-out a year ago, Miller said a new theme for this year’s team is to spread out the scoring.

“I see us having four to five kids who could be the leading scorer any night,” Miller said. “I could see any one of our starters scoring eight-to-12 points any given game.”

He added that this team’s approach won’t be to rely on one player who is head-and-shoulders above the rest, but instead expects a sound, selfless team.

“This is a really fun bunch of young men to coach,” Miller said. “They’re busting their butts to get better, and that’s all we can ask for from them. We really look forward to what this season has to offer.”