The Saint Paul’s faithful got its first close look at the 2022-23 basketball team on October 19th.

The Wolves’ lineup is drastically different this year, as they only return one starter after losing 11 seniors; however, they return Reece Seicshnaydre, who was the Wolves’ second leading scorer last year, racking up all-district honors and leading the Wolves to an undefeated district record.

Losing 11 seniors would seemingly leave the cupboard bare for the Wolves, but the highly talented junior class is here to save the day.

After going undefeated during the JV season last year, Saint Paul’s juniors Michael Sarver, Peyton Kilgore, Max Derbes, and Sam Caserta lead the way in filling out the Saint Paul’s basketball roster.

One aspect the Wolves thrive in year-in and year-out is their shooting. After watching the Blue Gold scrimmage, fans were able to see the new players in action, as well as great ball movement, disciplined defense, and high percentage three point looks that produced string music.

Another notable detail to the Wolves’ offense was the drive-and-kick consistency.

Last year, when the Wolves wielded slashing, bigger guards like Zach Fenn, Jeremy Autin, and Brian Alexander, the drive-and-kick was centered around getting layups in the paint. This year, it looks to be the opposite, as the three ball was flying off the kick because Seicshnaydre seemed to be the only guard to consistently get to the rim when driving.

A part of the team’s play-style that has not changed a bit was the tempo.

Similar to past years, the Wolves ran up and down the court, constantly pushing the pace looking to catch the other Saint Paul’s team off guard. Knowing either team’s playing style, fans didn’t get to see absolute dominance by either the Blue or Gold teams, as they both ran the floor with similar playing styles.

When Saint Paul’s senior guard Reece Seicshnaydre was asked about the team’s overall performance, he quoted, “I thought the scrimmage was a good look of what we will do well this season, as well as what we need to work on. I’m looking forward to seeing how we fix our mistakes and grow on our strengths.”

Thus, as the Wolves enter the 2022-23 season, be on the lookout for high percentage shooting, as well as dominant guard play from Seischanydre, Derbes, and Sarver. Although the team lost a lot, it will be an exciting year filled with hard fought victories. Hopefully, one of those victories will come against a highly talented Northshore team en route to a strong postseason.