Holmes County boys basketball teams prepare for season with mix of experience, rebuilding

The high school boys basketball season will begin Nov. 26. Below are season previews for area schools.

Hiland

The Hawks graduated several key pieces but return plenty of talent.

“We lost one of the best shooters we have ever had (Nick Wigton) and some very smart senior players, so we will be a work in progress at the offensive end (this season),” 21st-year coach Mark Schlabach said.

Hiland returns five senior guards in Alex Miller, Ashton Schrock, Caleb Yoder, CJ Yoder and Caleb Mishler. Senior post Regan Shetler also is expected to contribute this season.

“Hopefully, we will be able to pressure the ball defensively and be a little better in transition this year,” Schlabach said. “We have a lot of players who are similar. We will be working to figure out our roles on the team.”

Hiland finished 22-3 overall and 12-0 in the Inter-Valley Conference South last season. Schlabach expects his team to be in the mix with Indian Valley, Ridgewood and Garaway for the conference title.

West Holmes

The Knights will be more experienced this season with the return of five letter-winners.

“We will be a little smaller in stature (than last season) but hope to use that to our advantage and play fast,” third-year coach Ben Belden said.

Juniors Nate Sprang (wing), Cooper Maltarich (guard), Preston Troyer (wing), Billy Patten (wing) and Keston McKinney (forward) are all back. Promising newcomers include sophomores Marshall Yoder (guard) and Quincy Camacho (forward) and freshman Coi Beachy (guard).

“I expect us to play a little faster than we were able to at times last season,” Belden said. “We have five guys who played a lot of varsity basketball last season and are ready to take the next step, so we will rely on that experience to hit the ground running this year.”

Lack of height could be an issue.

“We will be small,” Belden said. “We will have to devote a lot of attention to getting stops and finishing stops with rebounds.”

Belden expects his team to compete more this year after last season’s 1-22 overall finish and 1-11 mark in the Ohio Cardinal Conference.

“My prediction simply is that West Holmes basketball will be competitive in every game it plays this season,” he said.

Garaway

The Pirates advanced to regionals last season, but all five starters from that team graduated.

That doesn’t mean they don’t still have talent, as seniors Kingman Bear (post), Jaxon Garber (forward), Lofton Numbers (guard), Tanner Rowe (forward) and Micah Yoder (guard) are all back.

Several other players will be in the mix this season including juniors Henry Swartzentruber (forward), Wylie Numbers (guard), Evan Coletti (guard), Wyatt Reifenschneider (forward) and Jackson Flinner (forward) and sophomores Wesley Baker (guard), Travis Rowe (guard), Jean Fritz Wallace (forward) and Clayton Miller (post).

“None of the players returning have started a varsity basketball game,” said 10th-year coach Terry Rowe, whose team finished 19-7 overall and 8-4 in the IVC South. “We also have some varsity basketball players still successfully performing for our football team in the playoffs (as of Nov. 21). With new starters, a new bench and some players getting a late start, our goal is to grow and improve each time we step in a gym. Our players have been working hard, and they are excited they have the opportunity to grow as individuals and as a team. As always, our goal is to be playing our best basketball at the end of the season.”

Waynedale

With so many good teams in the WCAL last year, someone had to take some lumps. The Golden Bears were among those someones, finishing 7-16 overall and 6-8 in the WCAL. With just three letter-winners lost and five seniors back, they may be poised to make a move.

The Class of 2026 will be well-represented on the Bears roster. Guards Evan Yoder, Braedon Lorentz and Luke Lorentz return for their senior seasons along with forwards Braydon Schlaybaugh and Trevyn Frazier.

New to the varsity are juniors Ernie Schmucker, Micah Raber and Sam Higgins; sophomores Jack Holcomb and Noah Shaffer; and freshman Cooper Miller.

“We have a core group of guys who have played a lot of varsity basketball, so we are hoping to lean on their experience early in the season,” Waynedale coach Dane Held said. “(We have) a few guys that can get going from the perimeter and should have decent size and length this season.”

Yoder was the team’s leading scorer a year ago at 13 points per game. Luke Lorentz is the second-leading returning scorer at about 6 ppg. Braedon Lorentz made thirty 3-pointers last year, and Schmucker will take over at the point guard spot.

“We want to be a better half-court team on the offensive end,” Held said. “We still want to run and try to get easy baskets, but we are hoping to execute better when we can’t get something in transition. Defensively, I also think we can be better in the half-court.”

Triway

Triway started head coach Nathan Loney’s tenure with a plus season, going 13-10 overall and 8-4 in the Principals Athletic Conference. The Titans bring back a lot more than they lost and will still be young.

Guard Brady Flinner is the only senior among six returning letter-winners, and center Roman Gilbert is the only other upperclassman on a roster that features eight juniors and a sophomore among players likely to find their way into the rotation.

“We’re way more experienced,” Loney said. “(We’re) stronger, (have better) physicality and a much better understanding of what type of basketball we are playing.”

That’s what happens when all those sophomores start growing into their bodies. The junior group is comprised mainly of backcourt players including Bruin Flinner, Jalen Hackett, Lane Crilow, Brandt Clippinger and Jaxon Clippinger. Loney labeled Hackett a combo guard, Crilow a shooting guard and Brandt Clippinger a point guard.

Bruin Flinner last year was a first-team All-Northeast Inland District selection after averaging 15 points. He and Hackett were first-team All-PAC.

Newcomers include junior point guard Chase Walter, junior combo guard Alex Robinson, junior guard Tucker Harris and sophomore combo guard Deacon Gilbert.

Triway last year finished tied for second in the PAC with Manchester at 8-4. The whole league was chasing Northwest. Loney said this year anything could happen.

“League play will be a fight night in and night out with no off nights,” he said. “I would like to see us finish in the top three.”