Port looks to be better, balanced

The Port Washington High School boys’ basketball team wants to improve upon last year’s record, and it’s going to take many of last year’s players to do it.

The Pirates return 10 letter winners, including eight seniors, from a team that went 4-14 in the North Shore Conference last season, tied with Grafton for last place.

Those include the Pirates’ top three scorers — Adam Baierl, Nolan Mueller and Evan Lilly.

Baierl averaged 12.9 points per game last season. Mueller averaged 7.7 and Lilly was right behind with 7.6.

The Pirates lost Zach Uselding, who averaged 6.8 points per game, to graduation.

But Jake Lippe and his 5.1 points per game, as well as a host of intensity, are back.

“Adam and Jake are back for their fourth year on varsity, so those guys will bring a lot of experience to the table,” coach Brian Hebein said.

Baierl and Lippe are again the team captains.

“They will set the tone and be the leaders of the squad,” Hebein said.

Lilly, a junior, is entering his third year on varsity, and Mueller started 23 games last year. Tamai McKoy Jackson, who averaged 4.8 points per game last season, returns and will start.

Offensively, the Pirates look to be a blur and will try to get their shot creators in space.

“So far we’ve been trying to really push the basketball,” Hebein said.

Inside, junior Noah Melka will use his 6-foot-6-inch frame, along with 6-5 senior Isaac McKinney.

“We’ve got a little more size than we had last year,” Hebein said. “And those guys can move on the floor.”

With so many players back who worked on their games in summer, Hebein has been refreshing the nuances of the offense and a balanced attack.

“In the past, we were based on the perimeter and the drive and attack. Now, we think there are cases where we can also work the post,” he said.

Defensively, the Pirates will primarily run a man-to-man scheme and plan to use their athleticism to put full-court pressure on teams.

The team is already a little banged up with Dylan Niehoff missing the season due to a knee injury from football and a few other players working through some injuries.

Hebein said he thinks the Pirates can finish in the top half of the conference and earn a home playoff game.

“It won’t be easy. But if we can stay healthy and get contributions from a variety of guys...” he said.

The Pirates are excited to play in the school’s new gym, constructed as part of a referendum a couple of years ago. Their first game in the facility is Dec. 14 against Hartford.

Before that, the road won’t be easy. The Pirates begin with three of the top teams in the conference.

On Tuesday, they hosted Homestead. On Friday, they play at Whitefish Bay and on Wednesday, Dec. 5, they play at Nicolet. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, they play at Cedarburg.

“We’ll figure out who we are pretty quick,” Hebein said.