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Ottawa boys hoops has used summer to build chemistry, experiment · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Ottawa boys hoops has used summer to build chemistry experiment.
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  Speaker 1: Written by Brian Hoxey, this article is being read by
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  Speaker 1: an automated voice brought to you by Everlett. First year
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  Speaker 1: Ottawa varsity boys basketball coach Bob Bartman said, despite a
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  Speaker 1: few challenges, he feels the Pirates have had a very
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  Speaker 1: productive summer. They are putting in air conditioning in Kingman
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  Speaker 1: Jim and Love Jim, which will be fantastic when it's done,
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  Speaker 1: but it obviously changed where we could practice. Bartman said, Fortunately,
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  Speaker 1: we were able to use the gyms at Wallace Grade
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  Speaker 1: School and Central Into Middle School for camp the first
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  Speaker 1: week in June and on the court stuff a couple
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  Speaker 1: days a week after that, which was a huge help.
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  Speaker 1: We've also lifted Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the football
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  Speaker 1: team in June. It's been something we've done in the
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  Speaker 1: past and felt it was important to do again this summer.
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  Speaker 1: Bartman also said a couple events that were on the
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  Speaker 1: Pirate summer schedule didn't come together, but his team still
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  Speaker 1: had plenty of chances to face good opponents in a
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  Speaker 1: competitive setting. We were scheduled to go to a camp
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  Speaker 1: and play three games at Illinois State University, but it
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  Speaker 1: was canceled due to weather. Bartman said, then we were
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  Speaker 1: going to go to the Morris Shootout, but because of
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  Speaker 1: Jim work they are having over there, they weren't able
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  Speaker 1: to host that. All that said, we participated in a
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  Speaker 1: shootout at Supreme Courts in Aurora with some good competition
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  Speaker 1: with schools like Nukua Valley, Walbanzie Valley, DeKalb and Kakaki.
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  Speaker 1: For the first year, we went to the Oregon Shootout
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  Speaker 1: where there were a lot of really good Class two programs.
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  Speaker 1: We also played in some round robins, including at Straetor
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  Speaker 1: and Pontiac. Bartman, who took over the Reins from retired
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  Speaker 1: longtime coach Mark Cooper, for which he was assistant in
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  Speaker 1: the last few years, said the transition to the position
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  Speaker 1: has been smooth and this first offseason as head coach
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  Speaker 1: has been all about experimenting. This summer for me was
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  Speaker 1: about trying some new things to see how they might
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  Speaker 1: work for us when the real season starts. Bartman said,
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  Speaker 1: we were working on a new offense, well, more of
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  Speaker 1: a new offense was mixed with what we've done in
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  Speaker 1: the past, as well as some different defensive ideas. I
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  Speaker 1: feel like the guys really picked up on those new
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  Speaker 1: concepts really well, and it gave us a better idea
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  Speaker 1: of things that we might be able to do on
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  Speaker 1: both ends of the floor. This summer was also about
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  Speaker 1: setting a foundation so that when the first official practices start,
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  Speaker 1: we are up to speed on the things we are
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  Speaker 1: going to be really focusing on. We also had tremendous
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  Speaker 1: attendance throughout everything, so that was great to see. Bartman
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  Speaker 1: said he has been impressed with growth of many players,
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  Speaker 1: returners and newcomers. Junior Blake Schmidtz has had a great
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  Speaker 1: off season so far. Bartman said his sophomore season was
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  Speaker 1: cut a little short with a shoulder injury, but he's
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  Speaker 1: worked very hard in the weight room. His hard work
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  Speaker 1: showed in the competitive settings, and I'm excited to see
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  Speaker 1: where he's at come November. Junior Rory Moore missed some
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  Speaker 1: stuff with baseball commitments, but that also gave a few
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  Speaker 1: more guys a chance to show what they can do
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  Speaker 1: in the point guard role and how they may fit
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  Speaker 1: into the mix. I feel like seniors George Shumway and
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  Speaker 1: Jack Carroll had a good summer as well. I also
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  Speaker 1: really felt like the new juniors look comfortable adjusting to
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  Speaker 1: the varsity speed. We won't have a tall roster, maybe
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  Speaker 1: six foot two tops, but I also think we'll have
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  Speaker 1: a bunch of super quick and athletic players that will
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  Speaker 1: allow us to do some new things