'Birds start 2007-08 season with 3-1 record
Ricebirds get ready for district season with tournaments
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

L-N Photo 2007-08 Ricebird Basketball Team Members of the Ricebirds Varsity boys basketball team include (l-r) Anthony Terrell, Jac Axel, Larry Williams, Sebastian Brown, Travis Pflughaupt, Maverick Smith, Ira Smith, Landon Appling and Derek Prihoda. Not pictured is Kevin Gooden.

El Campo is in a tough spot making the transition from football to basketball, but in spite of that challenge, the Ricebirds have started off the season playing strong hoops.

At 3-1 to open the year, the 'Birds return several key members of last year's team that made the playoffs with a 19-13 record, including a 6-4 run in district play.

Among El Campo's top returners is Travis Pflughaupt, who is widely considered one of the best players in the state.

Pflughaupt, a senior, will be El Campo's primary weapon and can dominate the post position with great height. So far this season, he has been the Ricebirds' top scorer.

Philip Spenrath, head coach of El Campo's varsity boys basketball team, said Pflughaupt has the desire and talent to play basketball on the college level and that several schools are in contact with the big man.

"Travis Pflughaupt has progressed into a very good basketball player," he said. "He's a dominating force and a lot of colleges are looking at him. Hopefully he can continue on after this."

Also returning to the team is senior point guard Anthony Terrell, who has strong ball-carrying ability as well as nice shot selection.

"He's a great point guard and a great outside threat," Spenrath said. "I know against Seven Lakes here last year, in a big game we had to win, he scored 21 of 23 points in the first quarter. He's gotten so much bigger because of weights in football, it's real exciting. He can go inside and outside and has a lot of confidence."

Maverick Smith returns to the team for his junior season and has had a lot of minutes in El Campo's first four games at the guard position.

"Maverick Smith started last year," Spenrath said. "He's just improved his game and is a great athlete. He gives you everything he's got and his game has really improved."

Smith will combine with Landon Appling and Kevin Gooden to complete the guard rotation and add depth to the roster, which Spenrath sees as a new strength.

"Landon Appling is only a sophomore, but as time comes on, he's going to be a leader," Spenrath said. "I've coached kids like Landon in other places and I think he'll end up being the leader next year or the year after. He's still young and his shot is still a little timid, but he's another joy to be around and he plays hard."

Gooden is expected to get minutes soon and will help the Ricebirds with a nice 3-point shot.

"He's the best outside shooter we've probably got," Spenrath said. "He's a pretty good defender and we really miss him right now. Between Gooden, Maverick and Landon, that's a good rotation at those two wing positions. They should never get tired."

Spenrath will rely on senior Larry Williams and sophomore Jac Axel for some added power to the team. Both are new to the varsity team and have been pleasant surprises at the start of the year.

"The other post was a hole," Spenrath said. "We were hoping that Larry Williams could do it or maybe we could play with four guards. Well, Larry has done awesome. He was on the JV as a junior and played more outside. We've asked him to play inside and he's accepted his role. He's a rebounding machine. Jac Axel and (Williams) will share time. I don't know who will start and I don't think it really matters.

"Jac is a beast in there. He's very raw because he hasn't played in two years. He'll take it coast to coast. It doesn't matter who's down there, he'll take it. He's a great rebounder and a great kid. Both he and Larry are about 6 (feet) or 6 (feet) 1 (inch). They're not giants, but have a good presence. Those are the two unknown soldiers going in this year that I think will take us to another step."

Three other 'Birds complete El Campo's roster. Spenrath said he will try to use a deep rotation especially early in the year, so everyone could see solid play time.

"Sebastian Brown is the backup point guard and he'll share some time with Kevin Gooden. Sebastian is a good kid. He's a junior and has a good eye for the game. He understands what we're doing and he's going to give some good minutes.

"Derek Prihoda a senior and was on the JV last year. He's a big kid and he'll give us some good minutes. Unfortunately he's behind Pflughaupt and that's a tough spot, but he's a good kid and a good worker. The other one we're looking at right now is Ira Smith. He plays some backup wing and is getting some playing time right now."

El Campo's pre-district schedule is set up to help the Ricebirds get in shape and help Spenrath determine a consistent rotation. Recently, the 'Birds finished a tournament in Needville as the top team. El Campo has a pair of other tournaments coming up.

"Our pre-district schedule is not what it has been in the past," Spenrath said. "Right now we're in three 3-A tournaments. Our dilemma is, there's no 4-As around here that aren't in our district. We drive to Angleton and drive to Port Lavaca and play them. Otherwise, we have to find the best 3-As unless we want to drive into Houston and play the 5-As."

District 24-4A seems competitive early in the season. Spenrath said he thinks the teams are fairly even and could see his team finishing in one of the top three spots for a playoff position.

"The district is going to be extremely tough," Spenrath said. "I think we can beat any of them."

Seven Lakes, who finished fourth last year, is widely considered to be the district favorite this year. With all of last season's starters returning and new addition Brandon Provost, the Spartans seem to have a strong team early in the year.

Spenrath said he agrees with the Spartans being favored.

"They're almost all going to be seniors this year and most of them don't play football," he said. "They had a kid last year who moved in from Cinco Ranch (Provost) and was ineligible so he played on the JV team. He's the best player of them all. He'll get to play with the varsity this year and they'll go to a whole other level. Seven Lakes is who I think everybody picks to be the best. I think we can beat them, don't get me wrong."

Second and third place could be an intense battle between El Campo, Lamar Consolidated and Terry.

The Mustangs return several players from a deep roster that saw a lot of playoff experience last season. The key to the Mustangs may be who they lost.

"Lamar lost, who I think was their best player (James Rodgers, who graduated)," Spenrath said. "They lost about five kids, but they had 15. So, they have about nine or 10 back who had that playoff experience. They'll be very, very tough."

The Rangers return a tall team, anchored by sophomore Kene Anyigbo. As a freshman, Anyigbo gave the Ricebirds trouble in the post. This season, El Campo will have to shut him down if the 'Birds want to contend for a playoff spot.

"Terry lost some kids, but they've got a sophomore (Anyigbo) who was very good last year," Spenrath said. "If we can control him … and Pflughaupt has got to do that. If he wants to lay at the next level, he's got to be able to control a sophomore. I think Jac Axel will play some time on him too."

The remaining teams, Foster and Bay City, are not considered to be contenders this season, but Spenrath warned against underestimating the Falcons and Blackcats.

"Foster can beat anybody on any night in my opinion," he said. "They're just well coached. Then you never know what Bay City has. I think they're down, but when they play El Campo, like last year and every other year, all bets are off on those games."