Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009

Crusaders could ride their depth to another big season

Leib should be able to go at least 10 players deep

BELLEVILLE -- There will be a smaller coach on the sidelines for Althoff High this season, but there's been no coaching change.

Through dieting, workouts and jogging, Crusaders coach Greg Leib dropped 40 pounds in 10 weeks while participating in a "Biggest Loser" competition with other Althoff teachers and staff.

"I was the fattest guy to start with, so I've got the biggest percentage to lose," joked Leib, whose team returns all five starters from a Class 3A super-sectional qualifier that finished 22-8. "Usually I'm the economic stimulus money for the fast foods joints around the area. They haven't gotten much from me in the last 10 weeks."

Althoff opens the season with a 6 p.m. game Monday against Rochester at the Lincoln (Ill.) Thanksgiving Tournament. Next up is a clash against South Seven rival Cahokia; the game is part of the tournament but will be played at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cahokia.

The tourney also includes a rematch against defending 3A state champion Champaign Centennial at 1 p.m. Nov. 28. Centennial defeated the Crusaders 65-60 at the 2009 Springfield Super-Sectional.

Because of its glut of returning depth and experience, Althoff is pushing for recognition among the top large-school teams in the St. Louis area. However, Leib wants to make sure his squad takes nothing for granted.

"We've got a lot of guys returning, and some quality guys," Leib said. "Our biggest challenge that we've presented to them is not living off what we've did in the past. There's other teams out there working just as hard and they're closing the gaps every day.

"When you're two deep in all your spots and three in some, you're not allowed to be complacent."

The Crusaders' top returning starter is 6-foot-4 junior forward Carson Sonnenberg, a Division I tight end prospect in football who recently accepted an invitation to visit Notre Dame. Sonnenberg averaged 14 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, doing the bulk of his work while banging away inside the paint.

"Every day he's getting his timing down and getting more and more comfortable," Leib said of Sonnenberg, whose two older brothers also were starters at Althoff. "He looks like one of those guys in Muscle, Strength and Fitness magazine."

Leib said Sonnenberg -- who played with the national-level St. Louis Eagles AAU squad this summer -- has gradually learned that when facing double-teams inside, finding an open teammate is a good option.

Not that Sonnenberg's high-percentage shots are ever a bad option.

"He's realized that hey, I can play the game at this level," Leib said. "He's carried that over and now he's taken the refined pieces to it. He's really coming along."

Also back for the Crusaders are senior guards Devin Griffin (9.7 ppg, 91 assists, 67 steals) and Alex Mumphard (9.6 ppg, team-high 40 3-pointers, 88 assists, 32 steals) along with senior Sam Hanger (4.5 ppg) and 6-foot-8 senior Austin Peay recruit Joe Harms (5.5 ppg).

Griffin and Mumphard are among the top backcourt duos in the region because of their quickness, defense and ability to push the ball and create offense.

"Alex is doing a lot of great things right now," Leib said. "Devin's gotten stronger, so he can play a (shooting guard or forward), or even the point because he handles the ball well enough."

Althoff can go at least 10 deep and also brings back senior Ed Fink, a University of Kansas football recruit at linebacker, senior Ryan Maitland and seniors Jordan Greene, Patrick McGlynn, David Franklin and Tyler Francis.

Althoff's only losses to graduation were Will Lawson, Kaylan Mosby and Michael Francis.

"I feel like a Juco coach, I get to coach almost the same group of guys for two years," Leib said. "What's fun about that is I don't have to go over the drills as much."

Along with its South Seven schedule and appearance at the Collinsville Holiday Tournament, Althoff also will make a return trip to the prestigious Marshall County (Ky.) Shootout on Dec. 4 to face Kentucky power Christian County.

On Jan. 16, the Crusaders will take on Mary Institute-Country Day School from St. Louis at the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout at St. Louis University's Chaifetz Arena.

Althoff also will compete at the Belleville East Tournament Jan. 19-23.

Leib believes the way his team plays defense could hold the key to the season.

"We're trying to get an I-40 project going on where we're closing down lanes of traffic," he said. "We want to do that so we don't have to rely so heavily on our post guys being the stop gaps."