The Middletown High School Boys Basketball team (7-5) is serious this year. That is apparent by now, but the Knights real anchor is a familiar face- senior, Brad Rinehart.
Rinehart has become a true leader on the Knights, and is showing his experience on the court. He leads the team with an 11.9 ppg average- good enough for twenty-first in the county.
“Most of my points come late in games when I’m trying to put the team on my back and finish strong,” said Rinehart. “Honestly I’ve told many this, I’ll take an assist over a score any day.”
Rinehart has become a calming and steady force for the Knights on the court.
“Honestly scoring isn’t my main priority. Everyone on the team can score,” said Rinehart. “If we can pretty much hold a team to ten or less in a quarter we can pretty much guarantee a W.”
Rinehart is right; defense and rebounding have been the biggest problem for the Knights this year. The Knights don’t have any one in the top 25 in rebounds in the county, and are giving up an average of 55.4 ppg this season.
Oakdale is completely different monster. On Dec.17 the Bears cruised to a 71-41 home victory over the Knights, and were able to pound the Knights in the paint.
The Bears best player and Bucknell commit, Zach Thomas is on the verge of reaching a milestone no one in Frederick County Basketball history ever has- score 2,000 points. Thomas stands at 1,923 points, and is averaging 28.5 ppg this season.
“Zach Thomas is a good player, but we have faced him before, and we know what he has to bring,” said Rinehart. “Zach is just a small portion of what we have to worry about tonight.”
Thomas is certainly not the only top-level talent Oakdale has on its roster. Fellow senior Clay Conner leads the county in assists per game with 5.0, and he is seventeenth in the county with 12.6 ppg.
The Knights biggest problem may come on the glass. Facing Thomas and his 8.7 rpg- third in the county, along with Julius Simpson and his 5.0 rpg could be a serious mismatch in the paint.
Thomas ultimately is the pillar of the Bears offense, and the Knights will have to shut him down in the long run.
“We have to be physical with [Thomas] in the post and draw charges to get him in early foul trouble,” said Rinehart.
The Knights young talent and athletic small-ball lineup will have to pay serious dividends against the taller and bigger Bears. Most importantly the Knights will have to play a virtually mistake free game if they want to come up with a serious upset against the Bears.
“We just have to play mistake free Middletown basketball,” said Rinehart. “We have to control the ball on offense, and bust our tail to get back on defense.”
No matter what the score, the time or the situation one thing will always be there for the Knights- Brad Rinehart.
