Newberry boys

2019-20 schedule

All times Eastern

Home games in bold

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Dec. 10 — Manistique, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 13 — St. Ignace, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 17 — at Pickford, 5:45 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Rudyard, 7 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Brimley, 7 p.m.

Jan. 9 — at Cheboygan, 7 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Cedarville, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 16 — at DeTour, 7 p.m.

Jan. 21 — at Engadine, 5:45 p.m.

Jan. 23 — at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 29 — Munising, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 — at St. Ignace, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 5 — Pickford, 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 7 — at Rudyard, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Cheboygan, 7 p.m.

Feb. 19 — at Cedarville, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 21 — DeTour, 7 p.m.

Feb. 28 — Sault Ste. Marie, 7:15 p.m.

March 3 — at Brimley, 7 p.m.

March 5 — Engadine, 5:45 p.m.

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“We’re not overly fast, but we should be able to shoot and control the ball pretty well.” — Kenn DePew, head coach, Newberry boys basketball

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NEWBERRY — The Newberry boys basketball team enters this year coming off a solid season and the Indians have the potential to have another one, but they’ll be at a bit of a disadvantage, according to head coach Kenn DePew.

“We were OK last year,” he said. “We played in a tough conference with small schools. We won some games, so I would think not so bad.

“Unfortunately for me, we lost our top couple scorers and our top couple rebounders. So we’ll have a struggle this year.”

Newberry does have a couple key players coming back, though, in junior Logan DePew and senior Luke Jordan that could provide some points each night. Another thing the Indians have going for them is a deep roster, which many teams from smaller schools lack in the Upper Peninsula.

“We do have depth,” Kenn DePew said. “We’re not overly fast, but we should be able to shoot and control the ball pretty well.

“But athletically, we’re going to be challenged. It just happens that every other team in the eastern Upper Peninsula has a guy who is 6-foot-5. So we’re giving away a lot in height.”

DePew said that the two conferences the Indians play in will be competitive as always and that they’ll be playing a mix of big and small schools. Newberry may be lacking in height, but DePew also said that he’s looking forward to the season getting underway.

“Pickford just pounded on everyone in football and they have the big (Nick) Edington kid and (Jimmy) Storey and they’re just as good in basketball as they are in football,” he said. “They’ll be really tough.

“Brimley, last year, they didn’t lose any games, so they’re going to be tough again and they bring back a couple key players.

“Cedarville is always Cedarville and they always put a really good team out on the court.

“Engadine should be tough. So we’re in a tough conference.

“We also play in a conference with Sault Ste. Marie and Cheboygan, so we have some big schools to play, too.

“We’re getting going and getting after it. I had this team when I was JV coach and they were on the JVs and we had a blast. They’re a very hard-working team and they’ll be a joy to coach.

“Hopefully, we can get some wins, but they work really hard and they stay after it. They’re a smart team and they’re a joy to coach, so I’m going to have a lot of fun.”

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.