As the midway point in the Section IV basketball season approaches, things are beginning to shape up in regard to who the top contenders are in the IAC. Lansing boys basketball has historically been among that crowd, and that remains the case this year with a new-look roster.
The Bobcats have pounced out to another strong start, winning seven of their first eight games. The biggest recipe for success has undoubtedly been their defense. As of January 16, they have held every opponent to 50 points or fewer. Head coach Joey Volpicelli has always had a defensive-minded approach to the game, and that’s really come to fruition this year.
“Defense is something that since I started coaching was something that I try to preach more than the offensive side,” Volpicelli said. “When we can hold teams and make it difficult for them to score, it takes the pressure off of some guys on the offensive end, and it makes them play more freely.”
It’s also been a milestone season for Volpicelli. He reached 100 career wins on January 9 in the Bobcats’ 75-50 home victory over Newark Valley. It was a special moment for the eighth-year coach that highlights the consistent prosperity that Lansing has enjoyed during his tenure.
“It was nice to have some recognition,” Volpicelli said. “I’ve been blessed with some pretty good talent in my career, too. So that definitely goes a long way.”
Lansing has plenty more talent at their disposal this year despite some significant roster changes. The Bobcats graduated seven of their 12 players from last season, including their All-State guard pairing of Jordan Sidle—who has continued to play basketball at SUNY Canton—and Ryan Pettograsso-Houk.
Their new dynamic duo in the backcourt consists of two returners: senior Aiden Vooris and junior Logan Mayo. Vooris is the most experienced player on the team with three years of varsity basketball under his belt, while Mayo adds another strong presence of the defensive end.
“Aiden does so many things that don’t always show up in a stat sheet,” Volpicelli said. “He’s one of the best guard rebounders that I’ve ever coached, and most people don’t really think of that… I feel like I can put Logan on anybody. Doesn’t matter if he’s giving up size. Doesn’t matter if it’s a smaller guy. I can take him and kind of move him around… He’s smart enough to realize where he’s got to be at what times, and I don’t really have to coach that.”
In the frontcourt, junior Jackson Tarbert and senior Korbin Pape have joined forces to great effect. Tarbert, a returning starter, is a versatile threat, while Pape has seen a significant increase in playing time.
“Jackson can play both positions, which makes it nice,” Volpicelli said. “One day, he’s working with the guards, and then the next day he’s working with the big guys. It’s nice to have a player like that that can do both and with some experience. He’s another leader on the floor… Korbin’s a very, very strong athlete, even though some people might not see it. His legs are ridiculously strong, and it’s very tough to move him. On the defensive end, he’s able to take a guy that is bigger than him and move him around.”
Rounding out the starting lineup is one of the Bobcats’ eight newcomers. Zayden Davis has emerged as a real threat on the offensive end. The junior’s ‘coming out’ party happened during the milestone game against Newark Valley where he went off for 27 points. The Bobcats are hoping there’s more where that came from.
“We knew coming up that he can shoot,” Volpicelli said. “He just had to get up with the speed. People talk about it, but you don’t really know it until you get it. I think it took him a couple games to really get the feel for it. When he gets his feet set, he can shoot… When we can get him rolling, it opens up everything else. It opens up another shooter in Mayo. It opens up the two guys inside.”
Lansing has valiantly bounced back following a season-opening loss to Thomas A. Edison with a long winning streak. They’ll aim to keep the good times rolling as they vie with Trumansburg for the IAC North Large Division title. If the Bobcats want to come out on top, they’ll need their defense to stay the course and their offense to step up, something that Volpicelli and the Bobcats believe will come to fruition.
“Our offense will continue to get better,” Volpicelli said. “But if we can just keep doing what we’re doing on the defensive end, we’re always going to be in games. We’re never going to get blown out. We might have to manufacture some offense here and there, but our defense is going to keep us in games, night in and night out. That’s what we continue to strive for.”
