Lillis

[Dane Pound]

Story on Brian Lillis from his hometown paper. He willing be playing PG this year after recovering from the same injury Jamar Wilson has.

 

Lillis switches to point guard as No.6 Dowling shoots for title

 

 

By JASON GALLESKE

Register Staff Writer

12/05/2003

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A sign of a prospective good team has to be when its weakness is its biggest strength.

 

 

Dowling Catholic High School senior guard Brian Lillis will switch from his off-guard position to play point guard for the Maroons, who are ranked sixth in Class 4-A.

 

"I hate to say Brian Lillis is a weakness, but he isn't a true point guard," said Maroons coach Joe Katich, in his third season. "We are going to have to adjust with Kevin Kanaskie gone."

 

Kanaskie, son of former Drake University coach Kurt Kanaskie, transferred from Dowling Catholic when his father became an assistant coach at Penn State.

 

Lillis averaged 15 points and five rebounds last season. He signed to play at NCAA Division I Albany but has been out for six months with a fractured kneecap.

 

"As long as Brian Lillis is healthy, we will be OK," Katich said.

 

The Maroons have returning experience from a team that was 17-5 last season, including a 9-1 mark in the Central Conference of the CIML. Dowling shared the title with Indianola.

 

Seniors Alex McConeghey, Trent Flander, Tom Finan and junior Devin Whiteley are returning letterwinners that will start this season. Whiteley is the smallest starter at 6 feet 2 inches. The other starters are 6-4 with Finan at 6-3. Dave Ferezy, at 6-6, adds depth.

 

"Our inside play has improved," Katich said. "The kids don't care who is going to get the glory.

 

"I'm lucky to have pretty good kids. If we stay healthy, I think we will be one of the better teams."

 

Katich said he feels the conference race will be even, with fifth-ranked Johnston and the Maroons slated to be the favorites.

 

"There is good balance in the conference," Katich said.

 

Katich also said defense will be the key, and added that he hopes the Maroons won't have to rely so much on offense.

 

"We tried to outscore teams the last two years," Katich said. "We have to try to shore up our defense. We still want to push the ball up and down the court, but that doesn't mean we have to shoot the ball right away."

[Patch]

This is good news for UA as it shows the versatility of Brian Lillis, who is rated 2 stars by Rivals.

 

He has the ability to play the 2 or the 3 and is now going to get experience at the 1. Hopefully it will benefit his development and though he'll not be needed to play the 1 for the Danes its still great to know he can in certain situations.

 

He's also suppose to be very athletic and a very good shooter seems like another good player recruited to Albany.