Lightning in search of playoff spotlight

Patrick Laverty

Sage Hill School will attempt to return to the CIF Southern Section

boys basketball playoffs for the second consecutive year behind two

returning all-league performers, Kevin Joyce and Matt Loper.

But what may decide the Lightning’s fate is how well they are able

to make up for the loss of the graduated Michael Fitzhugh, who earned

All-CIF honors last season after averaging 22.3 points per game.

“To make up his loss is really difficult,” Sage Hill Coach Steve

Keith said. “I don’t think we can do it personnel wise, but we can do

it program wise.”

Keith, in his second season, has finally provided the program with

some stability after the Lightning went through three coaches in its

first three years. Keith is the first coach to stick around for a

second season and his players have now spent a year learning his

system.

That continuity is only expected to help Joyce and Loper. A

6-foot-4 shooting guard, Joyce averaged 15.1 points last season as a

junior. Loper, a 6-2 point guard, averaged 3.8 points. With their

height, the give Keith two valuable weapons on the perimeter, but

they also are the coach’s two tallest players.

“It’s good news, bad news,” Keith said. “I have a 6-2 point guard

and a 6-4 shooting guard in the Academy League but the rest of the

lineup doesn’t follow.”

The Lightning finished third in the Academy League last season

with a 10-13 record overall and a 5-5 league finish. They reached the

playoffs for the first time and advanced to the second round.

To once again achieve those feats they will need a variety of

players to step up from a group of seven that all stand between 5-9

and 6-1.

“We’re going to suffer from all the problems that all small teams

have, rebounding, interior defense...,” Keith said.

Sage Hill hopes to make up for it with a bit of athleticism,

beginning with 6-0 sophomore Tim Lefler, who played in 16 games last

season as a freshman.

Another returner, 6-0 senior Tim Wilkins, was a part-time starter

last season.

From there, the Lightning have a collection of interchangeable

parts.

“If we lost Kevin or Matt they would be difficult to replace,”

Keith said. “But the fact that we have depth at other positions is

really reassuring.”

With a motion offense, all five players on the floor will run

through the post positions. But while Joyce has strong post moves, he

is really a perimeter player that can flourish behind the three-point

line. He made 48 three-pointers last season and hit three on his way

to a game-high 19 points in Sage Hill’s season-opening, 50-45 win

over Orangewood Academy.

But the Lightning must have balanced scoring so that defenses

can’t load up against Joyce, a standout volleyball player. Loper, in

addition to his point guard duties, will likely be considered the

second option and scored 15 points in the opener.

“We think we can battle for a playoff spot,” Keith said. “We think

that’s realistic.”