IAC BOYS BASKETBALL: BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR TIOGA — TWO WEEKS BEHIND SCHEDULE (8 PHOTOS) (2019-11-19)
Valley Sports ReportTIOGA CENTER "” As the second week of basketball practice began Monday, Tioga boys coach Brian Card had just 10 players on the floor - three varsity and seven JV, but that's been the norm for the fourth-year coach.
"Usually, we're two weeks behind everybody at the start of the season because the football team keeps winning," laughed Card.
"Last year was the first year we really noticed it," he noted. "The first few games were rough, the other teams were up to full speed, and we're still trying to put our offense in.
"We have seven JV players here now, so they'll be up to speed, but the varsity won't be able to do much of anything until the Monday after football season ends.
"There's nothing I can really do about it," added Card. "I'm kind of use to being two weeks behind everybody, and our season starting our fifth or sixth game."
Once football season ends, the rosters will receive re-enforcements.
"Once everyone gets here, we'll have eight or nine for varsity, depending on Thomas Cook (knee injury), and we'll have eight or nine for JV as well," said Card.
"We're hurting a bit for numbers," he noted.
Card said his team will be young.
"If Thomas (Cook) can't play, we have three seniors and two juniors. The rest will be young under classmen.
"Obviously, (8th-grader) Ethan Perry will be back on varsity this year, and I think we'll be bringing up (sophomores) Gavin Godfrey, Casey Stoughton, and probably Isaac Peterson," said Card.
Card said the Tigers' home scrimmage originally scheduled for Thursday against Newark Valley has been re-scheduled for Nov. 30. Tioga will also scrimmage Owego on Dec. 2 or 3.
Tioga's regular-season opener at home against Delhi on Nov. 30 has been re-scheduled for Jan. 11.
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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga coach Brian Card. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
