By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
PULASKI – Pulaski boys’ basketball head coach Dave Shaw has never waned from his patient, get-a-good-shot mentality.
It was never more evident than in the 2018-19 season when the Red Raiders went with a six-to seven-man rotation and sometimes took a minute off the clock to get the shot they wanted.
Entering his 11th season at Pulaski, Shaw has 321 career wins and 178 at Pulaski.
“There has been a lot of change in our league in the last couple of years,” said Shaw. “Coaching is tough, but it’s just as rewarding. We have great coaches in our league who love kids and love basketball. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Pulaski saw its season come to an end in the WIAA Division 2 regionals finals with a 96-75 loss to Kaukauna.
The Red Raiders are coming off a 12-12 record but graduated three seniors and more than 35 points and seven rebounds per game.
The .500 record could have been better had it not been for five losses of four points or less.
Trevor Stiede averaged 14 points, four rebounds and two assists per game at the off-guard position, but has graduated.
The 5-foot-9 Stiede was named first-team all-conference in the Fox River Classic Conference in 2018-19.
Also gone are Logan Lukasik, Cole Ahrens and Ethan Micoley.
Lukasik averaged 12.1 points and garnered honorable-mention status in the FRCC.
Ahrens and Micoley scored 6.1 and 2.6 points per game, respectively.
“Trevor was a three-year starter, and Ethan was new to our program,” Shaw said. “Our seniors were good kids who enjoyed basketball and were a pleasure to coach.”
Brock Egnarski and Bo Bramschreiber return this year as the two lone starters.
A year ago, Egnarski was the third leading scorer on a team that averaged 50 points per game.
Egnarski, a two-sport athlete in football and basketball, heated up late in the season.
In his last three games as a junior, Egnarski pumped in 18 points against Sheboygan North, 15 versus Notre Dame Academy and a season-high 21 against Kaukauna.
As a sophomore, Bramschreiber averaged 5.5 points per game.
By the end of the season, he was scoring near double-figures each contest.
Others who could contend for playing time include Casten Bedora, Jonah Klingeisen, Jarron McKeefry, Isaac Hanke, Aaron Staszak, Nash Lemerond and Matt Holloway.
“We have two returning starters, and the rest of the team is new to varsity minutes,” Shaw said. “Per usual, we’ll figure out what our strengths are and try to play to those as often as possible. I see us having some depth to rely on this season.”
With a majority of new faces on this year’s team, Shaw said his goals are valuing the basketball and trying to be stingy on defense.
“We talk about being a great teammate/tough competitor instead of statistical goals and ambitions,” he said. “This is the foundation we aspire to every practice and game. It’s not a hard sell.”
Pulaski boys’ basketball schedule
12/13 – Sheboygan South
12/17 – @ De Pere
12/20 – @ Green Bay Southwest
1/7 – Notre Dame Academy
1/10 – @ Sheboygan North
1/14 – @ Green Bay Preble
1/17 – Bay Port
1/21 – Manitowoc Lincoln
1/24 – @ Ashwaubenon
1/28 – @ Sheboygan South
1/31 – Green Bay Southwest
2/4 – De Pere
2/7 – @ Notre Dame
2/11 – Sheboygan North
2/14 – Preble
2/18 – @ Bay Port
2/21 – @ Manitowoc
2/27 – Ashwaubenon
Editor’s note: All games begin at 7 p.m.