Mustang cagers are thin on numbers

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Medina into the upcoming basketball season will be this veteran quintet of Nate Sherman, Brian Fry, Izaiah Rhim, Vincent Montague and Tyler Chinn.

Low numbers are a concern as three time defending champion Medina preps to defend its Niagara-Orleans League basketball title.

Senior Izaiah Rhim, who earned first team N-O All-League honors last year, heads Medina’s small group of five varsity veterans which also includes senior Vincent Montague, junior Nate Sherman and sophomores Brian Fry and Tyler Chinn. Rhim scored 237 points (10.8 average) and grabbed off 219 rebounds.

The squad’s only other upperclassman is senior William Braswell.

“We’ve got good experience and a solid nucleus but in terms of numbers this is the smallest team I’ve had in my 19 years coaching,” said Coach Tom Forestel.

A number of call ups from the JV ranks look to add some depth to the squad. Those players may include sophomores Christian Drisdom, Donte Rhim, Jarin Rhim, Emmanuel Taylor and freshmen Joe Cecchini.

The Mustangs key losses to graduation include first team N-O All-League honoree Jalin Cooper, Mason Lewis, Alex Allis and Brendan Luthart.

Medina, which shared the N-O title with Newfane last year at 10-2, has four non league games scheduled before opening the N-O season at Barker on December 14.

Schedule
November: 30 – Buffalo Science, 6:30 p.m.
December: 3 – at Kenmore East, 6:30 p.m.; 7 – vs. Grand Island at Niagara Falls Classic at Niagara Falls High SChool, 6:30 p.m.; 10 – at Tapestry, 6:30 p.m.; 14 – at Barker, 7 p.m.; 17 – Elba, 6:30 p.m.; 18 – CCA, 6:30 p.m.; 20 – Albion, 6:30 p.m.
January: 3 – at Newfane, 6:30 p.m.; 8 – Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.; 15 – at Akron, 6:30 p.m.; 18 – Wilson, 6:30 p.m.; 22 – CSAT, 6:30 p.m.; 25 – Barker, 6:30 p.m.; 29 – at Albion, 7 p.m..
February: 1- Newfane, 6:30 p.m.; 5 – at Roy-Hart, 7 p.m.; 7 – at Buffalo Science, 7 p.m.; 12 – Akron, 6:30 p.m.; 14 – at Wilson, 6 p.m.