Mount Baker offers size, experience in 2015-16
Coach: Rob Gray
Last year: Finished 11th in the Northwest Conference with a 2-10 record. ... Ended season after going 1-1 during the Class 1A Bi-District Tournament, finishing 9-18 overall.
Players to watch: Grant Balvanz (jr., G); Timothy Soares (sr., F); TJ Bass (jr., F); Keenan Gray (jr., G)
Outlook: There is no one correct equation that leads to basketball success, but Mount Baker has two critical pieces working in its favor this fall. The Mountaineers have a ton of varsity experience and a whole lot of size. “They really understand what we are trying to accomplish,” Mount Baker coach Rob Gray said in a phone interview. “And it’s nice having four starters back and experience coming off the bench.” Baker will miss the production it received from Colton Ranson, but senior forward Timothy Soares (13.5 points per game), who’s sprouted to 6-foot-10, 6-5 junior forward TJ Bass (9.9 ppg) and guards Grant Balvanz (10.6 ppg) and Kennan Gray (3.9 ppg) all return. Mason Bass, Thomas Barbo and Jed Schleimer round out Mount Baker’s main rotation. Besides Soares and TJ Bass, Baker also has 6-9 developing sophomore Ethan Gates, who could contribute more as the season rolls along. Key to Baker’s season, though, Gray said is steady improvement throughout the year.
Roster
No. | Player | Ht. | Yr. | Pos. |
5 | Keenan Gray | 5-8 | Jr. | G |
10 | Jed Schleimer | 6-2 | Jr. | F |
20 | Mason Bass | 6-1 | Sr. | G |
21 | Sam Stargell | 6-2 | Sr. | F |
24 | Carson Engholm | 6-0 | So. | G |
30 | Cory Bergh | 5-10 | Sr. | G |
32 | Thomas Barbo | 6-2 | So. | F |
33 | TJ Bass | 6-5 | Jr. | F |
35 | Grant Balvanz | 6-0 | Jr. | G |
42 | Timothy Soares | 6-10 | Sr. | F |
55 | Ethan Gates | 6-9 | So. | F |
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Time |
Dec. 4 | Ferndale | L 60-49 |
Dec. 7 | at Coupeville | 7 p.m. |
Dec. 12 | at Bellingham | 6 p.m. |
Dec. 15 | Sehome* | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 17 | Sedro-Woolley* | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 19 | La Conner | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 21 | at Meridian | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 29 | at Black Hills+ | 9 p.m. |
Dec. 30 | at Brewster+ | 6 p.m. |
Jan. 2 | at Sultan | 2 p.m. |
Jan. 5 | at Blaine* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 11 | at Ferndale* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 14 | Burlington-Edison* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 19 | at Lynden* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 22 | at Nooksack Valley* | 7:30 p.m. |
Jan. 25 | at Anacortes* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 28 | Bellingham* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 30 | Meridian* | 7:15 p.m. |
Feb. 2 | Squalicum* | 7:15 p.m. |
Feb. 5 | at Lynden Christian* | 7:15 p.m |
*NWC game; +Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout
This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Mount Baker offers size, experience in 2015-16."