Boys Basketball Preview 2023

Shamrocks Are Out For Respect With Deep Roster

BARNESVILLE — The game plan for the Barnesville boys’ basketball team, according to first-year head coach Shane Stephens, is an easy one for the Shamrocks this season. “I think the goal for this season is plain and simple, win more games and earn respect,” he stressed. “We return a very deep, talented and experienced group of players that feel they have something to prove.” That list is dotted with football players who just finished another excellent season and, for some, careers. Leading that group are seniors Duker Castello, Luke Detling and Taison Starr; along with ...

River Regrouping With Brand New Cast Around Core Four

HANNIBAL -- After a trip to the district finals last year, the River Pilots enter the 2023-24 season with some holes to fill, but plenty of returning talent up to the task. River head coach Mark Romick’s lost two 1,000-point scorers in Ty Long and Brody Lollathin along with big man Stone Thompson. “We’ve lost quite a bit of firepower,” Romick said Nevertheless, Romick was confident he will enter the year with a group who can perform out of the gate and build themselves up throughout year. The Pilots head coach sees four players shouldering a load early in the season while ...

Wildcats Eyeing Improvement In Bailey’s Second Season

PADEN CITY — In his second year in charge of the Wildcats’ boys’ basketball team, Paden City coach Jarrel Bailey enters the campaign with three returning starters from a team that struggled to do the little things and finish games a season ago. Senior Joey Baker (6-1, power forward) leads the way, but could be limited early in the season with an injury. Classmates Mickey Guerra (5-10, point guard) and Jeremiah Thomas (6-1, power forward) are also back in the starting lineup. Baker averaged five points a game last season with Guerra around nine and Thomas eight. The two new ...

Seminoles Betting On Not Missing A Beat In Lang’s Inaugural Year

WOODSFIELD — As far as inherited situations go, first-year head coach Mason Lang has a pretty good one. The Monroe Central Seminoles went 15-9 last year, and while they graduate three seniors, they bring back their leading scorer and rebounder, and carry starting experience into 2023-24. “This year we just intend to get better and improve upon last season,” Lang said. For Lang, who takes over the Seminoles as his first high school varsity head coaching job, his roster starts with the 6-foot-1 Tucker Howell, who averaged a double-double last year and will have a chance to ...