Robert Bean enters his second season as head coach of the Churchill boys’ basketball team without four players who were set to return following the 2013-14 campaign.
Bobby Arthur-Williams, a scoring and rebounding threat, transferred to Covenant Life School, Bean said. Jesse Locke, another primary scorer, chose to focus on his primary sport, football. Bryan Strittmatter and Sean Strittmatter transferred to different schools, as well.
Without several standouts, Bean will have the Bulldogs focusing on team basketball during the 2014-15 season.
“We’re going to focus on less is more,” Bean said. “Really try to play team basketball: team offense, team defense and effort. Less about x’s and o’s and more about the importance of [team].”
Bean’s top two returners in his drive-and-kick offense are Calvin Kamara, a 5-foot-11 guard in his third year with the varsity, and 6-foot-7 junior center Nathan Gertler.
“[Kamara is] going to bring a lot of energy to our defense,” Bean said. “… We’re looking to him to be our best distributor and penetrator. … Nathan gives us an inside presence and someone that … [is] a very good passer.”
Tarik Harris, a 6-foot-1 junior, will start at point guard. Harris missed last season while recovering from a knee injury he suffered as a freshman.
“He’s got a very good feel for the game,” Bean said. “He’s got leadership potential.”
Last season, Churchill started 1-6 under Bean, a former Magruder assistant, and was 5-11 entering February before making a run late in the season. However, the Bulldogs lost to Richard Montgomery, 46-45, in the opening round of the region tournament.
Churchill will open the 2014-15 season at home against Paint Branch at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.
“It’s my goal to get them playing for each other,” Bean said, “and competing at a high level.”