Aaron Meyer knows how to manage talented big men.
The Oakland-Craig head coach took his post duo of Kurtis Charling and Zach Rosenboom all the way to the Class C2 state finals last season. This Saturday Meyer will have no shortage of size as he joins Mead's P.J. Quinn at the helm of the White team in the Warrior Basketball Classic.
The White team's roster is equipped with a cast of big men that many NAIA coaches would be jealous of. Charling joins West Point Central Catholic's Jared Scherer and Midland Lutheran College recruits Ben Shanahan of Wahoo High and Brandon Mach of Wahoo Neumann as a handful of players listed at 6-5 or taller. Devon Niewohner, a 6-3 post from Bancroft-Rosalie, also provides some depth inside.
“We feel we've got some very athletic big men and we're going to go ahead and try to take advantage of them,” Meyer said.
Charling averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Knights last season in addition to serving as one of the area's leading shot blockers. Saturday's game will cap off his memorable basketball career.
“I think he is very well deserving of this opportunity,” Meyer said. “It's a very memorable moment, I can say that from being a past player in this. It's going to be a special time for him and all the guys that get to compete in this event.”
While the game is an exhibition of the area's premier basketball players, the desire to win can't be hidden.
“Well I don't know how coach Meyer feels about it, but I would certainly like to win,” Quinn said. “It may not be our No. 1 priority because we want to give everybody some game time and quality reps. But if it comes down to the fourth quarter and it's a close game, I would fully expect that we're going to try and win the game.”
Meyer feels his team's cast of big men is also surrounded with a number of athletic wing players including Joe Hansen of Arlington, Greg Sohl of Wahoo High, North Bend's Tate Johnson, Ethan Hunke of West Point Central Catholic, Erik Dodge of DC West, Wahoo Neumann's Matt Maly and Blair's P.J. Mallette.
Quinn believes the all-around talent in this Saturday's boys game serves as a reflection of tradition.
“There are communities around here with tremendous tradition. You can take both schools from Wahoo and see that,” Quinn said. “The level of basketball in this area is fantastic and this a good opportunity for the people that want to come to see that.”
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