IC Coach Gives Us a Glimpse into the Upcoming Basketball Season

basketball coach Darren Howard says this year, the Knights should finish strong in the Suburban Christian Conference Gold Division.

Coach Howard, who is also the school's athletic director, is in his 12th year of coaching and holds a 118-193 overall record.

Top returning starters this year are senior forwards Brian Harvey (6’1) and Dan Ribando (6’4), and guards John Cheng (6’0) and Charlie Pulkownik (6’0).

New players are junior guard Demetrius Carr (6’2), and junior forwards Adam Muellers (6’3), Tim Hipskind (6’3) and Cody Baker (6’1), and sophomore Clark Brinkman (6’2).

Key players lost to graduation are Demetrius Mobley, Anthony Loss, Pat Burke, Pat Haggerty, Mike Devito and Andre Well.

Last year IC's record was 12-16, 4-6 in SCC Gold. The Knights lost in the regional semifinal to .

The Knights return off of their sixth consecutive double-digit win season, the longest IC streak since 1978-'87.

Howard said the key returning players from last year are joined by a good junior group that has two solid years of experience in the program.

"The focus this year will be on returning to the motion offense that had been an IC mainstay in the past, along with hardcore man-to-man defense," Howard said.

IC had their best offensive numbers in over 11 years in 2010-'11 with the read/react offense, but they also posted their two-year worst defensive numbers while running that offense.

"Improving that defense will be the key goal for this year's group," Howard said. "Taking advantage of the discipline of the motion offense while improving the defense could mean a very nice regular season and a return to post season success."

Two-time All-state forward Demetrius Mobley is gone and will be tough to replace, as will the core group of Loss, Devito, Haggerty and Burke. The Knights will depend on the offensive skills of Harvey, Cheng and Ribando, as well as improved rebounding numbers from all players. Transfer Demetrius Carr will boost the Knights offensive ability and depth. The juniors will contend for minutes, while talented sophomore Brinkman learns the ropes and is expected to contribute more and more as the season moves on. 

"The Knights should be able to score points inside and out and hope to add transition points with better team defense and defensive rebounding," Howard said. "Knowing that this is a less seasoned team that will have to reach its potential, IC will spend much of the early season developing the defense."

Howard plans to return to hardcore man defensive principles and be more aggressive in order to challenge in the SCC Gold and advance into the IHSA State Playoffs.

Howard's predicted order of finish in the SCC Gold is:

• IC
• Walther
• Montini
• CC
• St. Edward
• Guerin

"IC's Harvey should be one of the top players in the SCC," Howard said. "I think John Cheng, Demetrius Carr and Dan Ribando will also show well."