HEAT ARE RISING

Savage Heat boys basketball is alive and well, with practices ongoing; second-year head coach Scott Fredrickson only hopes it stays that way during these crazy pandemic times.

Although his team has been looking good on the floor, Fredrickson does fear what could occur off the floor, in the form of more strange and unusual COVID-19 activity.

“We were shut down from practicing for three days so far but are doing about as well as could be expected,” Fredrickson said last week. “The girls had to shut down more than we did after a positive test came back. We are in better that way than they were for a while.”

The Savage Heat girls team and coaching staff were quarantined shortly after Thanksgiving after one of the players was diagnosed as reported in the December 17 issue of The Ledger, but that is a different story.

If basketball games are indeed played – and they are set to start in early January – the Heat boys bring back some experienced players including juniors Jack McAllister (a second team District 14C selection from last year) and Kyle Lawson, senior Lincoln Slonaker and sophomore Nathan Lawhead.

Junior Benedict Waterbury and sophomore Austin Campbell also return from last year. Fredrickson said frehsmen Michael Marrinan and Quincy DePoe have also been looking good in practice and could see some varsity minutes.

The Heat boys showed steady improvement throughout the campaign last season and finished a very respectable third in the District 14C tournament. Fredrickson hopes for more of the same type of improvement this season. Lawson, blossomed as a floor leader late in the season, particularly in the district tournament.

Fredrickson said that Slonaker has worked a lot on his game over the off-season, as evidenced by a 17-point outburst Slonaker scored in a team scrimmage recently. A solid starter for the Heat since his freshman season, McAllister will be looked to for more big contributions this winter.

The Heat will need to find some scoring punch as last year’s leading scorer Brandon Knudsen, who was a first team District 14C and All-state C performer, will be missed in that department.

Nick Pavelich has moved into the assistant coaching position vacated by Trevor Paro, who moved to the Hamilton area. Pavelich and Paro were both standout players for Hot Springs during their high school playing days.

“Nick will be an asset to the program,” Fredrickson offered, “just like Trevor was. I really appreciate those two, and look forward to working with Nick this season.”

Fredrickson said the Heat are scheduled to begin the season January 6. Hot Springs has not released the basketball schedules for the boys and girls programs as of this week.