As the four-time defending Heart of the Plains League championship team, Pretty Prairie is on everybody’s radar.
With three returning starters from last year’s squad which compiled a 19-3 record, the Bulldog boys are poised for another successful season.
“We can battle for five in a row,” said Dennis Detter, head boys’ basketball coach at Pretty Prairie. “We’re not a team with a lot of depth, but if we don’t have problems with people getting sick or injured, we’ll be able to battle. Last year, I really only played seven kids, and I’ve got four of them back.”
Detter, a PPHS alumnus now in his 16th year as head coach, knows they will face tough league opponents in Fairfield, Central Christian and South Barber, but he is optimistic about their odds.
“We’ve built a situation where we’re on top, and now we must defend that the best we can,” said Detter.
The Bulldogs have not been a high-scoring team in recent years, but their biggest strength has been their defense. He expects this year’s team to follow suit.
Returning lettermen include Stetson Broce, Trey Tallant and Jacob Welker, all starters from last year’s team, and Justin Haflich, the No. 7 man from a year ago. All four are seniors, and all four are expected to start this year.
Broce was a first-team all-league selection a year ago. At 6-5, he will be both an offensive and defensive threat.
“Stetson is a matchup nightmare for other coaches. He has nice inside work and it’s amazing how well he rebounds. He’s one of those players who knows where it will go before it hits the rim,” said Detter.
Tallant, 6-2, was an honorable mention selection last year.
“He was our defensive stopper last year,” Detter said. “He’s got incredible stamina and can run forever. He’s also got long arms and he deflects passes and steals well.”
Welker, 5-7, is expected to assume point guard duties. He played in both the No. 1 and 2 guard positions last year, so Detter says playing the point “won’t be anything unusual for him.” Detter also praises Welker as a hard-nosed defender.
Haflich, 6-1, will play inside the paint, and is a quick, strong player, according to Detter.
While Detter said the four seniors are their four most solid players, the fifth position in the starting lineup is still up for grabs. He said junior Paul Crum, sophomores Kiefer George and Tim Webb, and freshmen Dylan Bair and Nick Lampe are all viable candidates.
The Bulldogs open their season Nov. 30 against Haven. Detter said their earliest games will be their toughest as they face schools with larger enrollments and solid teams. During the week of Dec. 3-8, Pretty Prairie will play in the Pratt-Skyline Tournament, and will compete against Sedgwick, Skyline and Stafford. They will also face a challenging test on Dec. 14 against Remington.
“Our first four or five games will be tough. I’ll have a great idea how we are by Christmas,” said Detter.
With three returning starters from last year’s squad which compiled a 19-3 record, the Bulldog boys are poised for another successful season.
“We can battle for five in a row,” said Dennis Detter, head boys’ basketball coach at Pretty Prairie. “We’re not a team with a lot of depth, but if we don’t have problems with people getting sick or injured, we’ll be able to battle. Last year, I really only played seven kids, and I’ve got four of them back.”
Detter, a PPHS alumnus now in his 16th year as head coach, knows they will face tough league opponents in Fairfield, Central Christian and South Barber, but he is optimistic about their odds.
“We’ve built a situation where we’re on top, and now we must defend that the best we can,” said Detter.
The Bulldogs have not been a high-scoring team in recent years, but their biggest strength has been their defense. He expects this year’s team to follow suit.
Returning lettermen include Stetson Broce, Trey Tallant and Jacob Welker, all starters from last year’s team, and Justin Haflich, the No. 7 man from a year ago. All four are seniors, and all four are expected to start this year.
Broce was a first-team all-league selection a year ago. At 6-5, he will be both an offensive and defensive threat.
“Stetson is a matchup nightmare for other coaches. He has nice inside work and it’s amazing how well he rebounds. He’s one of those players who knows where it will go before it hits the rim,” said Detter.
Tallant, 6-2, was an honorable mention selection last year.
“He was our defensive stopper last year,” Detter said. “He’s got incredible stamina and can run forever. He’s also got long arms and he deflects passes and steals well.”
Welker, 5-7, is expected to assume point guard duties. He played in both the No. 1 and 2 guard positions last year, so Detter says playing the point “won’t be anything unusual for him.” Detter also praises Welker as a hard-nosed defender.
Haflich, 6-1, will play inside the paint, and is a quick, strong player, according to Detter.
While Detter said the four seniors are their four most solid players, the fifth position in the starting lineup is still up for grabs. He said junior Paul Crum, sophomores Kiefer George and Tim Webb, and freshmen Dylan Bair and Nick Lampe are all viable candidates.
The Bulldogs open their season Nov. 30 against Haven. Detter said their earliest games will be their toughest as they face schools with larger enrollments and solid teams. During the week of Dec. 3-8, Pretty Prairie will play in the Pratt-Skyline Tournament, and will compete against Sedgwick, Skyline and Stafford. They will also face a challenging test on Dec. 14 against Remington.
“Our first four or five games will be tough. I’ll have a great idea how we are by Christmas,” said Detter.
