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Cincinnati Christian's bigs are not your typical plodding post players. Wiry 6-foot-4 juniors David Mann and Derek Wickersham were the football team's leading receivers this season.

They, like the rest of the team, want to get out and run.

"We have a pretty good size, but not a lot of bulk," said coach Ed Davis. "We'll try to push the tempo, play a lot of pressure defense."

Backcourt

Piloting the up-tempo offense will be 5-9 junior Nate Brusman, who last year led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and assists (4.5 apg).

The only two guards with any varsity experience — juniors Dan Brandts and Dominique Eberhart — played sparingly last season but were leaders on the junior varsity team, Brown said.

Making their varsity debuts in the backcourt are sophomore Alex Campbell, sophomore Collin Clark, sophomore Chris Gray and senior Jacob Sellars.

Frontcourt

Sophomore Nick Brandts (8 ppg and 7.4 apg) started last year and was expected this season to be a "double-double guy," Davis said. But Brandts, the quarterback of the football team, injured his knee and is out for the entire season.

With Brandts out, Wichersham — a transfer from Fairfield — and Mann (13 ppg) can ill-afford to get in foul trouble.

The only post player on the bench will be junior Jason Brown (6-4, 250), who is making his varsity debut. Brown is the only player over 200 pounds on the team.

General Take

CCS, which went 9-12 last season, will push the tempo in order to utilize its speed and neutralize its lack of size.

But playing at a breakneck pace may prove problematic for a team with a short bench.

"We're not really deep. We may use a seven or eight-man rotation," Davis said. "We certainly can't afford any injuries."

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5128 or edawisha@coxohio.com.