Thursday, September 18, 2008

September 18 Austin LBJ Boys Preview





Left: Jags Coach Freddie Roland

Right: Promising Freshman 2012 Michael Hargis.

Some things never change. Regardless of who comes and goes, one thing remains the same. The Austin LBJ Jaguars will be 26-4A District Champs yet again. Off the top of my head, I believe it will be 8 straight years where Coach Roland's crew will have won or shared it outright. Last night the Jags were without several key performers who are on the gridiron but that did not stop them from looking like the most athletic group at the PHS Fall League. All was going well, until the Jags decided to get into a 3 point shooting contest with Round Rock Westwood. They came up on the short end of the scoreboard. However, once the younger Jags understand their roles and the legacy of the Pride of the East Side they'll be just fine.

6'7" 2009 W/P Tim Dailey, a transfer from Seguin HS can help both inside and out on both ends of the court. He's a quality athlete who does a lot of things well.

6'3" 2012 Michael Hargis played his first game vs varsity competition and did not look out of place. The star player from the Texas D-1 Ambassadors 2012 team looked like he could handle the comp, however he is in tough to make varsity because of LBJ's depth. He could play at most schools in the area, but may be better off getting lots of reps at the JV level this year. In speaking to Michael he thought he handled the physical side of the game fairly well, but acknowledged that he will need to adjust to the speed at this level. He has a bright future ahead of him.

The Jags will have a potent backcourt in 6'2" 2010 G Donald Dallas, and 6'1" 2010 Darrel Roberts. More info to follow on these two as they get off the football field. Speaking of guys who chase the oblong ball, 6'4" Kerry Heider will be chairman of the boards when he comes back from football. The kid's a beast on the boards and brings a toughness and swagger to the court. His future looks to be football as he hits a ton and is being recruited by the likes of Texas Tech, Texas, and LSU.