Senior-driven Minerva boys basketball will rely on speed, pressure

True, the Minerva High boys basketball team, which entered the 2024-25 season with four returning starters from a team that went 15-10, took a small step back, finishing with a 10-13 overall record and a 4-6 mark in the Eastern Buckeye Conference, good for a fourth-place tie with West Branch.

However, hope springs eternal for the Lions, who suffered a few losses in the offseason but return several important pieces to a reworked roster. First, the goodbyes, as the Lions lose the services of three departing players. The biggest hole is left by the absence of Jayden Yerger, who earned second-team EBC honors. Shooting guard Ryan Cassidy and small forward Braxten Keister also graduated.

Rich Hart, who enters his 17th season in charge of the Lions’ program, will be pleased seeing the return of a talented senior class that runs five-deep, led by 6-foot-1 Rowen Hoffee. The guard, who averaged 15.4 points per game last season, earned first-team recognition from both the EBC and East District.

Guard play will be a strength for Minerva as Hoffee is joined by 6-1 partner in crime Owen Shick (10 points per game), who earned honorable mention accolades from the EBC. Braydon Wood, a 6-4 center, also averaged 10 points and was conferred honorable mention status in both the East District and EBC. The other senior letter winners are 5-10 guard Skyler Lab (2.5 ppg) and 6-1 forward Reid Spall.

A good-sized number of new faces will appear on Minerva’s roster beginning with 6-0 senior guard Gabe Weldon, while the incoming junior class includes 6-0 guard Lane Tarbet, 5-10 guard Kellen Troyer, 6-2 center Ben Herstine, and 6-0 forward Isiah Willison. Sophomores include 5-10 Isaak Morckel, 6-2 forward/center Wyatt Gonzalez and 6-0 guard Tyson Fetty.

Hart said this year’s iteration of the Lions should have “shooting, quickness and more experience with the seniors” that will result in “much more depth, speed, and strength” as opposed to last year.

One thing you can’t coach is height, and Hart, who enters the 2025-26 season with a 213-141 record at Minerva, acknowledges that the Lions’ lack of length could make rebounding a challenge against bigger teams.

“We plan to play faster and to play a pressure defense,” said Hart.

As for the EBC, Hart acknowledges that Alliance, which returns its entire starting lineup from last season, when the Aviators shared the crown with Carrollton, may have a leg up on the other squads.

“Alliance is loaded,” Hart said. “The rest of the league is very good with many returning players.”

As one of those teams that is returning talented players, Minerva’s speed should enable the Lions to make some noise in the standings.