NWOAL boys basketball preview: Archbold seeks league title repeat
Dec. 3—With three starters returning from its Northwest Ohio Athletic League boys basketball championship team of last season, Archbold is the near unanimous favorite to repeat that title this season.
Having senior starters DJ Newman (a first team All-NWOAL player), and Ashton Kammeyer back, along with junior starter Alex Roth was enough to convince NWOAL coaches that Archbold is the team to beat again this season. The Blue Streaks received seven of eight first-place votes, and 63 of a possible 64 voting points in a preseason poll of league coaches to earn the label as championship favorite.
Coach Chad Burt's Wauseon Indians were second in the poll with 49 points, Evergreen picked up one first-place vote and was third in the poll at 46 points, and Swanton was tabbed for fourth at 43.
Liberty Center, Patrick Henry, Bryan, and Delta, in order, rounded out the poll voting.
"Being favored to win the NWOAL means the coaches feel we have a solid group returning, but the title is won on the floor," Archbold coach Joe Frank said. "We do have some pieces to the puzzle returning, but roles need to be played for us to compete for the title.
"As far as having a target on our back, it really doesn't matter because we know we will get the best each team has to offer on every night in the NWOAL."
Archbold has won or shared 29 NWOAL titles since 1962, including nine of the past 12 years, and 14 championships so far in the 2000s.
"The NWOAL, in my opinion, is as balanced as it has been in the last 10-15 years," Frank said. "Each night will be a test, and we will have to bring our best effort each night to compete for the title."
Here is a look at all of the teams in predicted order of finish.
ARCHBOLD
—Coach: Joe Frank, fourth season
—Last season: 21-5 overall, 7-0 NWOAL
—Top players: Seniors DJ Newman, 6-1, F; Ashton Kammeyer, 6-5, C; Brady Johns, 6-2, G; Tyler Hurst, 6-3, F; Gavin Bailey, 6-2, F. Junior Alex Roth, 6-0, G. Sophomores Cade Brenner, 6-1, G; Jayden Seiler, 6-0, G.
—Strengths: Scoring balance, ball-handling, perimeter defense, handling pressure.
—Weaknesses: Inside scoring, depth, perimeter shooting, post defense.
—Outlook: The Blue Streaks will be led by their experienced trio of Newman (11.9 points, 5 rebounds per game), Roth (10.5 points), and Kammeyer (7.1 points, 4 rebounds). Johns, Hurst, and Bailey also bring experience, and will each by counted on for increased production this season.
"This group has all the components necessary to become a good team," Frank said. "Developing a lineup and playing rotation may take some time, but I am confident we will be a competitive team that will compete at a high level each night out. The keys, as always, will include making defense our first priority. Shooting the basketball consistently, especially behind the 3-point line, is always a question mark heading into the season. Our overall quickness and athleticism will be strengths."
WAUSEON
—Coach: Chad Burt, 14th season
—Last season: 18-5, 6-1
—Top players: Seniors Jonas Tester, 6-2, G; Carson Burt, 6-0, G; Matt Shaw, 6-4, C; Krue Powers, 6-3, W. Junior Jude Armstrong, 6-0, G.
—Strengths: Perimeter shooting, scoring balance, depth, inside scoring.
—Weaknesses: Creating pressure, rebounding, post defense, perimeter defense.
—Outlook: The Indians were on the cusp of an NWOAL title last season before falling to Archbold in the regular-season finale. The Indians return two starters in Tester (14.6 points), who was a first team all-league honoree, and Armstrong. Carson Burt, Shaw, and Powers also lettered.
"We have many new faces in new roles," coach Burt said. "We have won 17 or more games for eight years in a row, and have a group of kids that is eager to compete and establish themselves at the varsity level. We are inexperienced at some key positions, but they are a coachable group, and will continue to grow and develop as the season progresses."
EVERGREEN
—Coach: Jerry Keifer, 29th season
—Last season: 16-7, 4-3
—Top players: Seniors Evan Lumbrezer, 6-1, G; Brock Hudik, 6-0, G; Ethan Loeffler, 6-4, F; R.J. Shunck, 6-7, C. Sophomores Eli Keifer, 6-1, G; Tyson Woodring, 5-10, G.
—Strengths: Scoring balance, ball-handling, perimeter shooting, inside scoring.
—Weaknesses: Creating pressure, rebounding, depth, post defense.
—Outlook: Evergreen looks to contend for another league title with a solid, experienced group led by 2021 league player of the year Lumbrezer (14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds). Loeffler (10.5 points, 5-3 rebounds) is also a third-year starter, and Hudik and Shunck each bring valuable experience.
"We have six returning letterwinners and for the first time in my 29 years I return my starting five," said Keifer. "We need to work to improve rebounding the basketball at both ends of the court."
SWANTON
—Coach: Bruce Smith, first season
—Last season: 14-10, 4-3
—Top players: Senior Nic Borojevich, 6-1, G. Juniors Luc Borojevich, 5-10, G; Cole Mitchey, 6-2, F; Hayden Callicotte, 5-9, G; Kayden Davis, 6-4, C.
—Strengths: Handling pressure, perimeter defense, creating pressure, ball-handling.
—Weaknesses: Inside scoring, post defense, rebounding, scoring balance.
—Outlook: Longtime highly successful northwest Ohio head coach Smith begins a new chapter to his career at Swanton. The Bulldogs bring back starters Mitchey (5.2 points) and Callicotte (4.5 points), and get a boost from the transfer (from Rossford) of the Borojevich brothers.
"Our success will depend on staying healthy and whether or not we can develop some interior offense to get some easy scores," Smith said. "If we can, we expect to be very competitive."
LIBERTY CENTER
—Coach: Greg Badenhop, 10th season
—Last season: 12-11, 4-3
—Top players: Seniors Evan Conrad, 6-5, C; Wyatt Leatherman, 6-2, W; Isaiah Estelle, 6-6, C; Dakota Shultz, 5-10, G. Juniors Mathew Orr, 6-0, W; Aiden Hammontree, 6-3, W.
—Strengths: Size, depth, perimeter shooting, rebounding.
—Weaknesses: Ball-handling, handling pressure, perimeter defense.
—Outlook: Leading Liberty Center will be Conrad (8.3 points, 8.5 rebounds), who was also an All-NWOAL second-team honoree, and Leatherman (10.7 points). Liberty Center nearly upset Archbold in D-III tournament play last season.
"Our size and strength should be strengths heading into the season," Badenhop said. "It all starts with Evan Conrad anchoring the middle at 6-5, and Isaiah Estelle joining him at 6-6. We hope that size translates into a lot of plus nights on the boards, and a great deal of disruption on the defensive end. We should have solid perimeter shooting."
PATRICK HENRY
—Coach: Bryan Hieber, second season
—Last season: 7-16, 0-6
—Top players: Senior Will Seedorf, 6-4, F. Juniors Gavin Jackson, 5-9, G; Kaden Rosebrook, 6-3, G; Braden Hall, 5-9, G. Sophomore Landon Johnson, 5-9, G.
—Strengths: Scoring balance, depth, perimeter shooting, ball-handling.
—Weaknesses: Handling pressure, inside scoring, post defense, rebounding.
—Outlook: The Patriots made strides under Hieber last season, but return only two seniors. Leading the charge this season should be Hall (7.0 points), Jackson (6.6 points), and Seedorf (5.5 points), who are expected to bump up their output.
"We are a very young team, with only three players back with significant varsity action," Hieber said. "I'm sure there will be growing pains along the way. We just need to control what we can control, and try to get better each day."
BRYAN
—Coach: Brock Homier, first season
—Last season: 4-17, 2-5
—Top players: Seniors Craig Jackson 6-6, G; Carter Brown, 5-11, G. Junior Evan Cox, 6-1, G. Sophomore Sam Herold, 6-0, F. Freshman Carter Dominique, 6-2, C.
—Strengths: Scoring balance, perimeter defense, handling pressure, creating pressure.
—Weaknesses: Depth, inside scoring, post defense, rebounding.
—Outlook: Homier begins his first season as Golden Bears head coach having inheriting no returning starters and just three letterwinners who are back. Thus, a rebuilding phase is expected. Jackson and Brown, as seniors, will be relied upon for leadership in the process.
"We are looking to get better every single day we are in the gym," Homier said. "We are going to pride ourselves on our energy, attitude, and effort."
DELTA
—Coach: Matt Brighton, first season
—Last season: 2-19, 0-6
—Top players: Juniors Bryce Gillen, 6-2, G; Nolan Risner, 6-2, F; James Ruple, 6-2, G-F; Bryar Knapp, 5-7, G. Sophomore Justin Ruple, 5-10, G.
—Strengths: Depth, scoring balance, creating pressure, rebounding.
—Weaknesses: Handling pressure, ball-handling, post defense, perimeter shooting.
—Outlook: One of three first-year coaches in the league, Brighton also finds himself in a rebuilding situation, although the Panthers will navigate theirs with four returning starters plus four other letterwinners back on the roster. Gillen (7.4 points), Risner (5.6 points, 4.4 rebounds), and James Ruple (5.1 points) should provide leadership in the early stages of the season.
"We have many experienced players returning," Brighton said. "We look to use that to our advantage in order to keep players fresh on the court. Rebounding and scoring by committee will be imperative for us."
First Published December 2, 2021, 7:00pm
