North Baltimore’s boys return eight letter winners this season. In the front row are (from left) Treg Rensch, Jeremy Grant, Marcello Trevino and Cody Pelton. In the back are Corey North, Peter Euler, Jacob Casey and Chris Casey. (Photo; J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

NORTH BALTIMORE — Little was expected when Dave Perez took over the North Baltimore boys basketball
program before last season.
Now, with a year of experience and a team full of upperclassmen, Perez and the Tigers have a much
different outlook.
“We’ve got a bunch of guys who are hungry. We’ve got nine seniors on the squad and they are just jumping
at the bit. They want to win a league championship. They’ve set big goals for themselves,” Perez said.

“It’s a group of guys that’s been together since junior high and they feel that they have the ability and
the talent to have a special season,” he added.
Nine of the 10 spots on the Tiger roster are filled by seniors.
The team returns almost all of its production from a season ago, including 6-foot-2 center Chris Casey.

Casey averaged a team-high in points (13.5) and rebounds (5.8) per game last season and was named
second-team All-Midland Athletic League and honorable mention all-district.
“He’s a talented athlete. We need him to continue to be as good as he can be and, hopefully, he can
improve,” Perez said of Casey.
NB has eight returning lettermen in all, including seniors Corey North (6-3, forward), Cody Pelton (5-9,
guard), and Jeremy Grant (5-8, guard).
Grant averaged 10.1 points last season while North averaged 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Pelton
led the team with an average of 4.6 assists per game last season.
“We have so many seniors that they all know that they have to fill a role. They’re all going to get
opportunities,” Perez said. “It’s truly going to be a get it done by committee type of system. If you’re
not getting it done, somebody else is going to get it done.”
Perez pointed to North’s play as a key to the team, noting he made great strides during the summer. Perez
also looked to Pelton’s play at point guard as a key to the team’s success.

Dave Perez

“We just need everybody to fulfill their potential and play their role,” Perez said.
Also returning are seniors Marcello Trevino (6-0, forward), Treg Rensch (5-8, guard), Matt Archer (5-11,
guard), Jacob Casey (6-1, forward), and Peter Euler (6-3, center).
“There’s certain things that they automatically know being seniors,” Perez said. “It gives us more
flexibility in what we can do.”
Junior guard Clinton Ebright (5-10) is the only non-senior on the team.
NB showed improvement last season, finishing 10-11 overall and 5-5 in the Midland Athletic League.
The Tigers defeated Northwood in the sectional opener before being humbled by a talented Toledo Christian
team in the sectional finals, 80-38.
The 10 wins last season were twice the amount the Tigers won in 2007-08. NB finished in the middle of the
pack in the MAL last season, tied with four teams for fifth place.
“The bottom line … it comes down to wins and losses,” Perez said. “We’ve got to start beating some
quality opponents.
“We had a couple nice wins last year against some quality programs. The problem is we just didn’t have
enough of them.”
The key for the Tigers, according to their coach, will be to improve on the defensive end. NB allowed an
average of 56.1 points per game last season.
“The league is loaded with offensive talent,” Perez said. “If we don’t stop those people it doesn’t
matter what we do offensively.”
Most important for the Tigers and Perez, however, will be the ability of the team to overcome its lack of
success in the past.
“The kids have already expressed to me that just being competitive isn’t enough for the team. We’ve got
to start getting some wins at some point,” Perez said. “When you’re around those type of guys with those
type of goals that are working hard, it’s exciting as a coach. It kind of motivates you to want to give
them your best effort.”
NORTH BALTIMORE
BOYS SCHEDULE
Dec. 4 — NORTHWOOD
Dec. 11 — TIFFIN CALVERT#
Dec. 12 — MAUMEE VALLEY
Dec. 17 — at Seneca East#
Dec. 19 — at McComb
Dec. 23 — at Perry
Dec. 28 —at Vanlue
Jan. 5 — at Fremont St. Joseph#
Jan. 8 — NEW RIEGEL#
Jan. 9 — at Ridgemont
Jan. 15 — at Lakota#
Jan. 16 — HARDIN NORTHERN
Jan. 21 — at Fostoria St. Wendelin#
Jan. 23 — ARCADIA
Jan. 29 — HOPEWELL-LOUDON#
Feb. 4 — at Carey#
Feb. 12 — MOHAWK#
Feb. 13 — MILLER CITY
Feb. 19 — OLD FORT#
Feb. 26 — at Bettsville#