LIMA – New season. Same high expectations.
Lima Senior produced a near perfect season in 2015-16 by going undefeated during the regular season and postseason up until the state finals where the Spartans fell to Westerville South 57-55.
Four starters have graduated from that record-setting team but Spartan head coach Quincey Simpson is still approaching this year with the same intensity and old-school approach that made the Spartans winners last year.
“I told them the season is up to them,” Simpson said. “What you put in it is what you are going to get out of it.”
As a coach Simpson has his work cut out for him with just one starter, senior guard Jarius Ward, coming back. Also back are letterwinners, junior post player Keaton Upshaw, and senior guard Zeriesto Martin But Simpson will need valuable minutes and contributions from promising newcomers senior Javier Quinenos, a 6-2 guard, junior post Jatsiel Colon, a junior 6-8 post player, Jaleel King, a sophomore 6-3 wing and B.J. Miller, a junior 5-11 guard.
“We had a lot of backstreet drivers last year and obviously they are driving the car this year,” Simpson said. “Right now they are still learning the process and consistently come in every day and practice hard and the expectation of me day in and day out where last year those expectations were on some other guys.”
Accountability is something Simpson strongly preaches and the Lima Senior coach admits that some of the players are struggling because he is constantly on them every minute of every practice to show progress.
“I am explaining to these guys that if you want to be champions at any level you have got to go hard every second on the floor so that is the thing we are battling right now,” Simpson said. “They are going hard but not on a consistent basis. We need to be going harder.”
Simpson adds that that the players are slowly responding to his coaching method but there is still plenty of work to be done.
“I am different type of coach,” Simpson said. “Most people can see that. I am a big time, call you out yeller, screamer, high demanding but I know that it what it takes to make our kids accountable and be successful. You have to have a tough skin to play for a guy like me.”
Simpson admits there are still what he calls “mumblers” or players who mumble stuff under their breath so Simpson is quick to stop practice and tell them to either “man up or speak up,” and while this tough approach is something this generation of athlete is not accustomed to Simpson said he believes they understand that what their coach is telling them is helping their game and the team.
Simpson said he is looking for the seniors to step us leaders both on and off the court. Last year, Mr. Basketball Xavier Simpson provided that type of leadership, along with the other seniors, but he has since graduated and moved up north so that void will need to be filled.
Ward, who the Spartan head coach has known since he was 8-years-old, will be counted on to be one of those Spartans leaders to help guide a team without much varsity playing time. Ward, a second-team all-Three Rivers Athletic Conference performer, averaged 12 points and four rebounds a game last year.
“We just need to have more vocal leaders and guys to do it. Not only say it but do it,” Simpson said.
Throughout the offseason, Simpson said the players have been working on their game as well as time in the weight room. With the loss of Ruben Flowers, Rico Stafford, Jaylin Thomas and Marqevious Wilson, the Spartans will not be as physical as last year’s squad and this will play an important part when battling for rebounds. Simpson sees that as the key to success for this year’s team
Even though this team does not have the same talent as last year’s squad, Simpson said this team has a lot of potential.
“We have some different pieces that can do some different things and that is what I like,” Simpson said. “It can be a gift and a curse at the same time. It just depends on which team shows up.”
Because the Spartans graduated so much talent, Simpson said he thinks opponents are not going to be taking them as serious as they did last year. He said the preseason rankings had the Spartans more towards the middle than the top.
“That is the way I like it,” Simpson said. “Everybody that I have talked to believe that we have nothing and that is not a slight on any kid we have here but we lost a lot. I like it because we are going to shock some people. We are going to play hard. We are going to play physical and we are still going to play fast but more of a control fast.”
The Spartans open their season Friday when they travel to Toledo to face St. Francis deSales.
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