by MARK CAUL
Lehman senior Dane Peddycoart (left) and his Lobo teammates will try to hone their skills during summer league play this season. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
Tarale Murry is now the man. And the soft spoken senior-to-be better get used to it before the Lobo Elite Summer League gets underway this week.
For the first time in four years, the Lobos will take the court without an experienced frontcourt with the graduation of Jon Garrion.
Although life without Garrion will be difficult for the Lobos, Lehman head coach Thomas Acker feels as though Murry is ready to step into the leadership role on the court for the Lobos.
“Tarale realizes that he will be the leader of this team next year and he definitely has all the tools to be that,” Acker said. “He has improved tremendously and if he can bounce back from the injuries that he’s had, I certainly think he will be ready to assume that role.”
Murry, a power forward with great leaping ability, will team with towering senior Adam Woodworth to make a formidable duo in the paint on a team looking to rebound from a very disappointing summer campaign last year when the Lobos played in the CenTex Summer League against teams from Del Valle, Schertz Clemens, Dripping Springs, Bowie and Akins.
The elite group will have the services of sophomore point guards De’Andre Carson and Charles Williams, both of whom were big contributors on the varsity level last spring.
Carson, who was named to the All-Distict team as a freshman, now has a full year at Lehman under his belt and is ready for a breakout season with the Lobos.
“I’m used to playing with a lot of these guys now so it will be easier for me to get into the flow this summer,” said Carson. “Our goal is to work hard and execute over the summer so we’ll be ready when the real season rolls around.”
Acker is hopeful that talented 5-foot-six-inch senior guard Dane Peddycoart is also ready to assume a leadership role along with shooting guard Peter Gutierrez, who should be fully healed from a foot injury that limited his production as a junior last spring.
“Dane is a smart basketball player and does some of the little things we need him to do to contribute,” Acker said. “This summer will be pivotal for him. It’s very important for him to get minutes on the court. For Peter, it’s a matter of staying healthy and continuing to work hard and a few things. Both of those guys will help us next spring.”
The Lobos will also be counting heavily on seniors Larry Benson and Jose Ramirez to make strides during the summer season.
Benson was elevated to the varsity level from the junior varsity team midway through the season and was able to provide Lehman with some much needed production off the bench.
Acker hopes for more of the same during the summer season.
“I’m expecting Larry to take his game up a notch this summer because he can score the ball,” Acker said. “His defensive presence will be a key for us as well. He was able to get to a lot of loose balls and disrupt other team’s offenses. That will be his role on this team.”
Joel Williams, the director of the Lobo Elite League, will coach Lehman this summer.
