OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Some teams start the season on the same page and click right from the start. Others take some time to grow as a group and find their rhythm.
The Old Orchard Beach boys basketball team started the season with two straight losses, including dropping an ugly game to a less-talented Sacopee Valley team. Fast forward a few weeks and the Seagulls are knocking on the door of the playoffs.
Leading the turnaround for the Seagulls is a strong starting five ”“ and leading that group is junior point guard Erik Hogan.
“First and foremost, Erik is the epitome of a student athlete,” said OOB coach John Regan, who said Hogan is currently No. 1 in his class.
His strong work in the classroom has helped turn Hogan into a leader on the court and in the locker room.
“He runs the offense while still averaging about 11 points a game. He also sets the tempo on defense with his hustle, determination and leadership qualities,” said Regan. “Without a doubt, he is one of the hardest-working players I have ever coached.”
Hogan may be the leader, but arguably the most talented player on the Seagulls ”“ and possibly in the area ”“ is sophomore Evan Christensen.
“Evan is improving every time he steps on the floor,” said Regan.
Christensen will make mistakes like any young player will, but he has proven to be tough to defend and has shown a lot of growth over the first half of the season.
“Only a sophomore, he will continue to develop his game and get better,” said Regan.
Helping Christensen out at the other guard spot is Zach Hirst, who currently averages around 13 points per game.
“(He’s) arguably our best shooter,” said Regan. “He has gained some confidence during the first half of the season and should provide some much-needed scoring for us down the stretch.”
On the inside for the Seagulls, juniors Sam Custeau and Joe Anderson control the paint.
“(Sam is) probably our most improved player to this point,” said Regan. “Sam is averaging just under eight points a game and is third on the team in rebounds. I look for him to have a big second half of the season for us.”
Anderson is starting to come into his own for Regan, who is excited about his future.
“Joe continues to work hard both offensively and defensively,” said Regan. “Joe has the potential to develop into a very good low post player.”
If the Seagulls are going to make the playoffs, they will need their top five players to play strong down the stretch, but Regan is also confident about his bench.
“We have gotten some nice contributions from our other players,” said Regan, who mentioned Andrew Graves, Dylan Creswell, Thomas Fregeau, Ian Regan, Zach Belanger, Kyle Salway, Kyle Allen and Brian Davis.
The Seagulls are right on the bubble for the playoffs ”“ and Regan is expecting big things from his team over the next few weeks.
“Our goal is to make the tournament and be playing in Augusta in February,” said Regan.
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 322 or sports@journaltribune.com.
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