By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — East St. John’s basketball program has ascended since the start of coach Yussef Jasmine’s tenure as head coach in 2007.

He doesn’t expect that rise to level off, even if circumstances are less than ideal — to say the least.

Jasmine and his team are set to begin their season in the upcoming week, despite the loss of their home gym to the flooding of Hurricane Issac.

Lost as well were the team’s jerseys and much of its equipment.

“I had some agility stuff in my truck when the storm hit. So we still have that, fortunately,” said Jasmine. “We can’t utilize the weight room.”

Still, Jasmine believes the Wildcats not only can overcome the difficulties thrust on by Issac, but that they will. His team is deep and talented again, despite the loss of 10 seniors from last year’s team, including leading scorer Joseph Williams.

“(The storm) hasn’t affected us too much, compared to the football team,” said Jasmine. “Those guys had it dropped on them in the middle of their season. We’ve had time to adjust.”

Back will be 6’7 center Elex Carter after another standout junior campaign as a defender and a breakout season as an offensive weapon. Kyle Patterson, Tre’Von Jasmine and Kyron Mitchell are among those also expected to be big contributors.

 We’re longer this year, and probably have more size than we’ve had at any point since we had Kelth (Cameron, the team’s former center),” said Jasmine.

The Wildcats will play their games at the former Leon Godcheaux Junior High School.

Last season, the Wildcats earned the most wins (24) and highest seed (No. 5) in the program’s history.

•St. Charles Catholic, meanwhile, is readying for the first season of the Paul Waguespack era — the school’s longtime baseball coach takes over at the helm of the basketball program this season.

Waguespack said he expects the Comets to go through growing pains in his first season at the helm. St. Charles has three seniors on this year’s roster after losing six from last year’s squad to graduation.

In addition, as long as the St. Charles football team continues it’s playoff run, 16 players across the varsity, J.V. and freshman teams are unavailable. St. Charles, currently, rosters one senior, two juniors and nine freshman.

“We’ll have to take our lumps,” Waguespack said. “But sometimes, to get a program where it needs to be, you have to do that.”

Among those projected to lead the team will be seniors Trey Southerland and Jeff Keys and junior Kameron Keller.

Waguespack looks at this season as a way to instill a sense of good process in his players while getting them up to speed on offense and defense.

That means playing strong competition and getting reps. Plenty of them.

“We’re playing three tournaments,” he said. “16 freshman games and 16 J.V. It’s just the way I know how to build a program.”

Though he sees this as a rebuilding season, Waguespack has been here before; in his first run with the basketball team, he coached as an assistant under Jeff Montz, helping to build the Comets into a winner.

“Nine or 10 years ago, we went 6-and-20-something and then-8-and-20-something,” said Waguespack. “Then we won the district championship.

“I don’t know how many we’ll win (this year). Those are lagniappe right now. Seeing progress in the right direction is my focus.”

• For 32 years, coach Antoine Edwards headed the West St. John boys basketball program.

But Edwards officially retired in June, the milestone marking the passing of the torch from Edwards to new head coach LaVanta Davis, who takes over after four seasons as Edwards’ assistant.

The Rams’ season will start a bit later than others in the area; the majority of the Class 1A squad also plays football, and the Rams have been in the midst of a playoff run.

The Rams are scheduled to begin the season at home against Lutcher on Dec. 4.

“It’s why it was so important for us to get our summer work in,” said Davis. “We’ll need to gel early once we get everyone here. We won’t have many games before district begins.”

Jordan Hamilton is one of the only players on the team that plays basketball but not football. The junior has played since his freshman year and returns as a starter.

Davis looks to him to lead.

“He’s an all-around player who can do a lot of things. And I’ll ask him to do a lot of things,” said Davis. “He’ll be asked to handle the ball, rebound, defend the opposition’s best players.”

I’m looking for him to be a leader.”

Davis said that the transition so far from Edwards to himself has been smooth.

“Before Coach Edwards left, he afforded me the freedom to do a lot of things. He was open to try different things I might suggest,” said Davis. “We’re going to get after it a little more defensively. Offensively, we’ll do what we did during the summer …

“But at the end of the day, I’m trying to simplify everything as much as possible. Guys transitioning from football to basketball so quickly, I don’t want to throw too much at them.”