New look, same Knights

PALMER — Throughout much of the last two decades, the Colony Knights have been a top program in the Northern Lights Conference. Colony competes for an NLC title on a regular basis and has advanced to three state championship games since 1997.

As long as the Knights have fielded a boys basketball team, regardless of who was at the helm — Chuck Martin, Phil Engebretsen or Jeff Bowker — Colony has used a particular style of basketball to create its success. This year, the Knights have a new head coach — former assistant Tom Berg — and a new crop of talent. But the Knights aren’t expected to stray away from past tendencies during the new era.

“There will be subtle changes, things that I like to do, but really the philosophy since the school opened has stayed the same,” Berg said Monday morning before making his debut as the fourth head coach in Colony High boys basketball history. “We’ll guard, play with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and heart, hustle and be the best team we can absolutely be.”

The Colony game plan will also stay the same, Berg said. His staff will employ man-to-man defense and motion offense, just as his three predecessors.

Berg will be bringing a group of talent, largely new to the varsity level, into his first season as coach. Colony does have veterans. Players like seniors Blake Niver, Payton McCann and Kenyon DePriest, and junior Jared Turner return. But all will be stepping into more central roles with the varsity team. Seniors Tanner Enloe and Greg Michaelson, junior Tim Smith, and sophomores Hunter Eisenhower and Nathan Umbarger will also be asked to contribute to the varsity team.

“There’s good balance (on the roster) this year,” Berg said.

The Knights have significant holes to fill. Gone is first-team all-state guard and NLC Player of the Year John Palmer, a four-year starter at point guard during his prep career. Forward Hayden Summers and guard Scott Herman are also among those who graduated.

The biggest void was left by Palmer.

“You can’t replace John Palmer,” Berg said of a player who has taken his talents to the Division II level. “Our very first spring league game, I turned to an assistant coach and said, ‘it’s a little different now.’ Four years, he held down that spot.”

Berg said the Knights will have more of a point guard by committee this year, with a few players capable of bringing the ball up the court. Niver and Smith will be at the top of that list. Wyatt Pelitier, a sophomore transfer from Palmer, will also see time at point guard.

Tuner and Eisenhower will be among Colony’s top shooters on the team, Berg said.

“They’ve done a tremendous job of improving. They’re starting to become more confident every time they shoot the basketball,” Berg said. “Every time they shoot the basketball we as a staff, a team, feel like it’s going to go in.”

Colony won’t boast tremendous size inside, but that’s something the Knights are used to.

“Some teams in this league, the 4 and the 5 do most of the rebounding. We’ve always asked all five guys to do the rebounding,” Berg said.

Berg said DePriest will be key inside.

“Kenyon will play a pivotal role for us,” Berg said.

McCann and Enloe will also play forward and Umbarger, a first-year varsity player, could emerge as well.

The Knights opened the season with a 64-57 loss to North Pole during the first day of the Doc Lasrson’s Roundball Classic Monday at Wasilla High School. Following the three-day round robin tourney, Colony will head south to compete in the Cactus Jam in Scottsdale, Ariz., starting Dec. 27.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.