The Lewis Cass boys basketball crew broke via final season with a 20-8 report and Class 2A sectional and regional championships. However gone are 4 of the primary key cogs as Tyson Good, Luke Chambers, Haden McClain and Keaton Lewellen all graduated.
As well as, coach Kyle Johnson stepped down after going 59-42 in 4 seasons on the helm. The lead assistant throughout that point, Eric Branz, has taken over. Branz has six years of prior head teaching expertise at South Central and Yorktown.
The Kings do return two starters, L.J. Hillis and Trey Johnson, in addition to reserve Owen Lowe to the varsity.
Hillis, a 6-foot-4 senior, is the main returning scorer at 10 factors per sport. He added 5 rebounds and a couple of assists per contest.
“He’s going to convey again some dimension for us at 6-4, a variety of power. He’s within the weight room on a regular basis eager to play soccer in school,” Branz mentioned. “He’s going to be fairly sturdy for us inside, however he additionally has the variety to drive to the rim from the perimeter and likewise knock down the three.
“He’s a kind of youngsters that I actually like as a result of he can rating in any respect three ranges and that’s one thing we preach on a regular basis is eager to develop gamers into scorers from all three ranges.”
Hillis performed via a damaged hand harm because the quarterback for the soccer crew however is therapeutic up from that harm.
“He’s been practising on daily basis and we’ve not observed any points,” Branz mentioned.
Trey Johnson, a 6-2 sophomore, gained helpful expertise as a starter final yr. He was a task participant as a freshman and averaged 2 factors and 1 help per contest.
“He began at level guard and off guard about midway via the season when LJ was sick after which he began the remainder of the yr after that and was simply actual regular for us,” Branz mentioned. “He was a man we knew was at all times going to be in the proper spot, wasn’t going to show the ball over. This yr bringing again his expertise, he’ll need to step into an even bigger position so far as scoring and now that Haden McClain has graduated, Trey can be our level guard as a sophomore and actually be relied on to care for the ball with it being in his arms much more.”
Lowe averaged 2 ppg in a restricted position off the bench.
“He’s labored on his sport fairly a bit and has turn into far more constant going into this yr,” Branz mentioned. “We search for him in his senior yr to step up and rating for us and look to deal with the ball. He’ll need to get higher for us defensively however he’s a fairly good offensive risk.”
With the 6-5 Chambers within the submit and the 6-6 Good slashing to the basket together with Lewellen being 6-6 and Hillis 6-4, the Kings had uncommon dimension for a Class 2A crew. They’ll have a extra guard-heavy look this yr.
“We’re actually going to attempt to benefit from our guards,” Branz mentioned. “They’re doing a fairly good job of transferring the ball and never letting it stick making an attempt to use as a lot stress to defenses as we are able to.”
Newcomers to the varsity embody 6-3 junior Bryce Rudd, who provides the Kings size on the guard place and a fast first step, Branz mentioned. Brennan Deeter, a 5-10 sophomore, has excessive basketball IQ and is an effective shooter. Kolten Younger, a 6-1 junior, is athletic and has one of the best vertical soar on the crew. Brody Hillis, a 6-1 sophomore, toughened up in soccer this previous fall to prepare for varsity basketball. Wade Tocco, a 5-6 junior, has been across the sport and gives management.
Whereas a number of key gamers are gone, the Kings are nonetheless going to attempt to construct off of final season’s success.
“It’s all about how onerous we are able to work,” Branz mentioned. “Whenever you lose a bunch of seniors which have performed for a number of years and performed roles on the varsity and also you lose these guys, everybody goes to need to be taught roles. We’ve got a variety of sophomores and juniors which can be taking part in, so with the inconsistent play which will present, we’re actually making an attempt to emphasize how essential it’s to only outwork folks and actually get again to that blue-collar nature that Lewis Cass basketball is understood for.”
The Kings are gearing for his or her first yr within the Three Rivers Convention. Defending champion Tippecanoe Valley is now not a member of the convention. Manchester, Maconaquah, Peru, Southwood, Rochester and Wabash all posted successful seasons in convention play a yr in the past.
“I believe the highest half of the TRC this yr is similar to what our facet of the Hoosier was,” Branz mentioned. “You continue to have Peru, you’ve acquired Wabash that’s actually good and in our sectional, Manchester goes to be actually good with the submit participant [Gavin Betten] that they’ve and the guards that encompass him. It’s important to throw Maconaquah in there too. They’re a particularly good basketball crew and the model that they play will not be one thing you fairly often see on this a part of the state.”
