Changes could be positive for King’s boys

Liley takes over coaching duties,

team chemistry

looks better

By Tony Dondero

Enterprise reporter

SHORELINE

Much has changed for the King’s boys basketball team.

The Knights’ coach the past seven years, Marv Morris, is taking a leave of absence for health reasons. The interim head coach is Bill Liley, who served as an assistant the past two seasons.

Leading scorer and center Charlie Enquist, the 6-10 shot blocker with the soft touch, is at Washington State now as a redshirt freshman.

The Knights were a popular pick to win the state 1A title last year, but when Enquist went down with a broken wrist in the district playoffs, the Knights fizzled with losses to Meridian and Bellevue Christian and failed to place.

They’ve heard it all about what could have, what should have been last year.

“We try not to talk about last year,” senior guard Bryan Ayers said. “It’s a new team, it’s a new season.”

Last year, the Knights were stocked with talent but never quite jelled. This year, most of the players have played together before and less time is being spent on learning the complex King’s defensive scheme.

One of the Knights’ senior co-captains, 6-foot, 4-inch wing Erich Fuhlendorf, dropped 34 pounds and now weighs a trim 210. Eating better, running and working out with Shorecrest assistant Mark Haner helped him gain his new body. Fuhlendorf is a smooth outside shooter who can also play in the post and he could be the best player in the Cascade Conference this season.

Ayers, another co-captain, is a 6-foot point guard with good ball-handling skills and ability to drive to the hoop. Cameron George, who played the point last year no longer attends King’s for disciplinary reasons.

“It’s really too bad,” Liley said. “He was set to play some of his best basketball.”

Senior Dylan O’Neil, who stands 6-8. filled in when Enquist was hurt last year and will start at center.

“It doesn’t look pretty, but you look up and he’s got about 18 points and 12 rebounds,” Liley said. “That’s really fun to have on your side. He’s been having a pretty good turnout these last couple weeks.”

Karl Clocksin, a 6-3 sophomore power forward, is an up-and-coming player who is a “big strong kid that rebounds the heck out of it,” Liley said. “He’s really impressed us. He’s gotten better, so much so, he’s going to start.”

Liley said he realized Clocksin was something special when he dunked at a Gonzaga team camp as an incoming freshman.

Kyle Talbot, a 6-4 junior forward also cracks the starting lineup.

Coming off the bench is Nick Hardy, a 5-9 sharpshooting guard and Alex Mar, a 5-7 backup point guard. The reserve forwards include 6-1 junior Zach McDonald, 6-4 senior Alexander Farid and 6-1 sophomore Sean Brugger. Guards Ryan Hoff, a 5-11 sophomore, and Seiya Kitchens, a 5-10 junior, have moved up to varsity.

Liley plans to employ a motion-style offense with a lot of cutting and screening. The past two years the offense has centered around getting Enquist the ball but things should be freer and more open this year.

“Every coach has his own style,” Fuhlendorf said. “As far as offense (goes) we’re opening up the floor.”

The defensive strategy will stay mostly the same as it was under Morris.

“We’ve had so much success with our defensive scheme,” Liley said. “It’s evolved. We’re going to continue to adjust things to our personnel to give our kids the best opportunity to win with it.”

Enquist masked some of the defensive errors the Knights made last year, Liley said, which means the team has had to go back to basics this season.

King’s has won the last three Cascade Confernce titles and it is favored to repeat. Cedarcrest has everyone back and is improved and South Whidbey is better with new coach Scott Collins, but it’s the Knights’ league until someone else challenges them.

“I think the kids would be disappointed if they weren’t able to have the same success that the prior teams have had in the league,” Liley said. “From a coaching standpoint I think our league is much improved.”