Foster to rely on stingy defense

Foster’s Adem Suta takes on Ingraham in a non-league game last season. - Charles Cortes, Tukwila Reporter
Charles Cortes, Tukwila Reporter
Foster’s Adem Suta takes on Ingraham in a non-league game last season.

By ADAM MCFADDEN
Tukwila Reporter Reporter
December 14, 2012 · Updated 4:59 PM 

First-year Foster boys basketball coach Isaac Tucker hopes his Bulldogs squad can overcome its height shortfall with speed.

“We’re definitely lacking size,” Tucker said. “But we think our quickness can offset other teams’ height.”

Foster doesn’t have any player taller than 6 feet, 2 inches this year.

Tucker’s philosophy revolves around defense first. He plans to have his group of guards out pressuring offenses into mistakes the entire game.

“We’re not trying to outscore teams, we’re trying to make sure they score less than we do,” Tucker said.

The Bulldogs are an experienced team, with seven seniors. Leading the way is Adem Suta. Suta was fourth on the team in scoring last year, at 8.6 points per game.

“He’s probably the best shooter in the gym wherever we go,” Tucker said.

Suta led the team with 18 points in the season-opening loss against Interlake.

Another key piece to the team is guard Tyerel Brown. Senior guard Chris Jamison is a transfer. Tucker said Jamison is a lock-down defensive player.

Tucker said the key to combatting his team’s lack of size in rebounding is to simply outwork the opposing team.

On offense, Tucker said he will let the team take the reins most of the time.

“Defense is what’s key around here,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of scorers, but we have a lot of guys who can handle the ball. We will attack other team’s weaknesses.”

One of Tucker’s biggest challenges will be figuring out which rotation works the best. The team has a lot of similar players and he hopes that everyone who works hard will get to play significant minutes.


 

Contact Tukwila Reporter Reporter Adam McFadden at sports@tukwilareporter.com or 425-255-3484.

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