<< Previous   of   Next >> Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Meadowdale's Sam Werner drives to the hoop past a teammate during varsity basketball practice at Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Meadowdale's Matt Beucherie (left) drives to the hoop past teammate Dylan Buck during their varsity basketball practice at Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Meadowdale's Riley Neff Warner (left) shoots a basket under the watchful eye of assistant coach Dean Wiley during their varsity basketball practice at Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood.

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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Mavericks reloading

By David Pan
Enterprise Sports editor

The graduation of eight seniors might be a tad disconcerting for most teams.

But the Meadowdale Mavericks are planning to pick up right from where they left off.

Coach Chad McGuire and his players are shooting for a third straight appearance in the Class 3A state boys basketball tournament.

“So far, so good,” McGuire said. “You never like losing eight seniors. It's kind of like the year before. We know we've got guys who can step in and play. It's a matter of how quickly they adjust to the varsity speed.”

Senior center Connor Hamlett won't have any trouble as a returning starter and a second-team, all-league selection. Hamlett spent part of the summer playing with a select basketball team, the first time he's done so in the offseason.

McGuire expects more of the same from Hamlett, a co-captain along with senior Sam Werner.

“We are going to rely on him inside and outside,” McGuire said. “He can dominate the paint both offensively and defensively. We expect him to have a big senior year.”

While Hamlett, a first-team, all-league tight end, is a fierce inside presence, he also can step outside and hit the 3.

“He such a good athlete he can take people off the dribble,” McGuire said. “He has a nose for the ball. It's tough for people to block him out.”

Added Werner, “He is one of the most dominant players. He's going to be hard to stop.”

Werner missed all of last season after suffering a broken foot. He's glad to be back on the court and said that his basketball skills came back quickly.

“It means a lot (to be back),” Werner said. “I didn't know I was going to be out for so long.”

Initially, Werner thought he would be able to play basketball, but he also ended up missing the spring soccer season. Werner kept busy by shooting with his older brother Paul and doing different ball handling drills.

Werner is looking for his outside shot to be the perfect complement to the strong inside presence of Hamlett.

“Sam does a little bit of everything,” McGuire said. “He can score. He's a great defensive player. Whatever you need him to do to win the game, he'll do it.”

McGuire plans to have Werner and senior Matt Beucherie switch off on the two guard positions. The two are interchangeable.

“We'll mix them up depending on what play and who we want to get the shot,” McGuire said.

Senior Riley Neff-Warner, who missed about half the season last year with an injury, is back and healthy.

“He'll help us out a ton this year,” McGuire said. “He's a great defender. He slashes well.”

Two other players who have had a strong presence at practice are senior Dillon Sand and junior Tyce Tallman.

“We have a solid core of five senior starters who are ready to step up,” Werner said. “Our goal is to get to the Tacoma Dome. We've been there the last two years. It's our job to keep that going.”