High school basketball Preseason Fab 15: No. 14, Guerin Catholic

From now until the beginning of the high school basketball season, I'll count down the area high school boys basketball Fab 15. We got started earlier this week with No. 15 and continue today with No. 14:

NO. 14 -- GUERIN CATHOLIC

For a coach who lost the core of a team that won a Class 3A state title in 2012 and nearly played for another in 2014, Guerin Catholic coach Pete Smith seems remarkably upbeat.

It's not that Smith won't miss Aaron Brennan, Whit Rapp and Cris Burrough – he already does – but he likes the potential of the group he has coming back.

"When you lose three kids who were part of an incredible state championship run and played a big role the past three years, those are big shoes to fill," Smith said. "But we have a lot of kids who have played a lot against those guys and learned lessons from them. We're going to have great competition at a lot of spots."

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism is the presence of 6-6 senior Matt Holba, an IndyStar Indiana Junior All-Star a year ago. Holba, a Lehigh recruit, transferred in from Chesterton as a junior to rank second on the team in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounds (6.9) and assists (2.6). He also shot 40 percent from the 3-point line (31-for-77).

"He's going to have to have more of a basket presence offensively and defensively," Smith said. "We're not blessed with a lot of height so he's going to have to guard bigger guys and he's going to grab a ton more rebounds this year. I'm trying to get him to look to shoot more and feel comfortable being a scorer and not just a great team player like he enjoys being. I'm real excited about his upcoming season."

Holba was at his best late in the season, finishing with 23 points and six rebounds in a 74-67 loss to 3A top-ranked Greensburg in a 3A semistate game. Another player who was also very good in that game was 6-4 guard Christian Munson, who scored 18 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the 3-point line. Munson saw his playing time increase throughout his sophomore campaign and finished the year as a 45 percent 3-point shooter (34-for-76).

"His 18-point outburst (against Greensburg) was just what the doctor ordered for him to really show off his potential," Smith said. "He's driving to the basket now and not always setting for the 3-pointer, although he's an excellent shooter."

Another key returner is Matt Labus, a 6-1 senior who averaged 4.9 points and 2.0 rebounds last season. Labus, a quarterback on the football team, started 31 games the past two seasons. Smith will also get back a healthy Alex Mazanowski, a 6-4 senior who played in 14 games on the state championship but in only 13 total the past two seasons due to injuries. Nick Sahm, a 6-2 senior, started seven games two years ago but missed his junior year due to injury. Brian Matthews and Nick Schneider are other seniors who helped the junior varsity team to a 17-2 record last year.

Smith expects 5-11 sophomore Matthew Godfrey (1.6 ppg) and junior Cameron Lindley to compete for the starting point guard job.

"Both of those guys are solid candidates," Smith said. "You're not going to replace Whit easily, but both those of them see the floor very well. Whit never really came out of the game so neither of them have much experience."

While it might be a bit overly optimistic to expect another 22-4 season, Smith expects Guerin to be competitive again in Sectional 26.

"Even though we're losing those seniors I'm not going to be a downer," he said. "I think we have a chance to be pretty good."

Why Guerin Catholic could be higher: Holba is one of the best players in the state, so that's a good place to start. There are some nice supporting pieces as well, especially Munson, one of the better 3-point shooters around. There's more experience on this roster than it might appear at first glance.

Why Guerin Catholic could be lower: Replacing the school's all-time leading scorer (Brennan) and assist leader (Rapp) won't be easy. Holba's presence helps offset Brennan, but there is far less experience returning at point guard.

Circle the date: Jan. 16. A new opponent on the schedule is Class 4A defending champion Tech, which is a road game for the Golden Eagles. A week after that is a trip to sectional rival Brebeuf Jesuit.