Dodson Coyote Basketball 2016

The Dodson Coyotes will be under a new head coach for the 2016-17 season as Coach Frank Benson will hope to lead the team into its first divisional appearance in several years. Benson had previously coached the Coyotes in the 2005-06 season before beginning a coaching stint at Hinsdale.

Coach Benson inherits a young, yet experienced team, who lost both games in the 3C Tournament last year.

"They are athletic but we have to learn how to play team ball," Coach Benson said. "We have to be unselfish. Happy begins and selfishness ends and that's what we are striving for."

The team lost its season opener at the Glasgow Showcase as they stayed into the game with Jordan until the third quarter. The teams were separated by one point before Jordan eventually blew the game open 66-39.

The Coyotes were led by freshman Shaun Ball, who scored 22 points. Freshman Corbin LoneBear had eight points.

The team's point guard will be sophomore Tyrese Messerly, who displayed quite the nose for the game in his first two seasons with Dodson.

"He makes everybody else better," Coach Benson said. "He is a team-first guy. He's the guy. We need to follow behind him and he's a sophomore."

Benson will utilize a couple of players as shooting guards, but one that has stood out has been Ball, who has earned high praise from his coach.

"He's a gamer," Coach Benson said. "He needs to works on his defense but he's a gamer. He can post up, he can dribble and he can shoot threes. He is a class AA small-forward. He would be a forward in class AA and he would be a good one."

Another freshman that has caught the eye of Coach Benson is post LoneBear.

"I think, I got the top-two freshmen in the league," Coach Benson said. "He can play any position. He can post you up or take you to the hole. He's good."

Coach Benson mentioned junior combo-guard David Jaynes as a strong leader for the young team.

"He is the silent leader and he doesn't know it," Coach Benson said. "If he's happy, everybody is happy and if he is down, everybody is down. And he plays defense. He is probably our best defender."

The team's fifth starter will be junior Jasper Doney, who has proved to be a reliable player in the past couple of seasons.

"He doesn't hurt you," Coach Benson said. "He does everything I tell him. He doesn't do too much and lets the game come to him."

Benson will be working to keep Doney out of foul trouble this season.

"He likes to get inside," Coach Benson said. "That's what I like about him."

Senior Trevor Shortman will likely see time as a starter this season, but his role will likely be a strong sixth man for the team.

"I'm thinking if I bring him off the bench, he can watch a little bit and he won't get lost out there," Coach Benson said. "It doesn't matter who starts. It matters who finishes."

Coach Benson was impressed by Jeramiah Benson, who took two charges and made a shot coming off of the bench for the team.

He was also impressed by first year player junior Paul Doney.

"He is a first-year player, but he doesn't have any bad habits yet," Coach Benson said. "He does everything I tell him. He is a fundamentally sound kid."

The Coyotes will also field a JV team.

The team also talked long-term goals.

"Their goal is to go to divisionals but I kind of asked, is that all?" Coach Benson said.

Benson hopes to challenge the team to not only make divisionals but draw out their full potential this season.