West Holmes boys basketball faces senior void

For the second straight season, Ben Belden’s West Holmes boys basketball team has lacked something most teams have: seniors.

It’s rare to not have a senior on a team, but twice in a row?

“I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a program that has gone through that two years in a row,” Belden said.

That lack of senior leadership has led to some struggles this season, as the Knights continue to work toward improvements that will help the program get back to a higher level.

Belden said they knew there would be bumps and bruises along the way, but he also said there have been encouraging signs and hopes that turning the corner isn’t far away.

“You can see glimpses of us improving and getting closer to where we want to be,” Belden said.

However, along with the glimpses have come the additional struggles that usually accompany young, inexperienced teams, and it has led to a 4-13 mark as the regular season winds down.

Belden said his team has exhibited some of the negatives of a younger team trying to get to the next level. Issues like overcoming slow starts and the always-present inconsistencies that plague younger squads continue to crop up and deter game-time runs where the Knights look good one moment, then struggle the next.

He said when dealing with youth, those types of outcomes are going to rear their head and bite the Knights, but he said his players have shown a good sense of understanding that and continuing to focus on how they can continue to improve.

In a word, Belden said they need to become consistent.

“You see these little glimpses that get you really excited,” Belden said.

He recognized Triway’s game plan when the teams squared off recently, one that saw the Titans pushing the ball up the floor with pace and a sense of urgency.

Belden told his players that even in a loss like that one, they can find a silver lining in realizing the way the Titans played was something they can try to emulate and strive for because that is the type of game they hope to create.

He said learning from the way opponents play and learning from losing games can have positive benefits as long as they are able to take away lessons from each experience.

In an effort to give his young talent every opportunity to develop, Belden has even utilized a pair of freshmen in Hudson Flanders and Cole Troyer in his rotation, giving youthful talent a chance to gain valuable experience.

“The really great thing from all of this is that everyone we see out here battling night in, night out is going to be part of the program moving forward,” Belden said. “Hopefully, they will be part of the solution that takes us to the next level.”

Belden said he understands people want them to win and be further along the growth tree than they perhaps are right now. He said playing in a difficult Ohio Cardinal Conference and scheduling tougher teams like Triway may keep the win totals and success stories down … for now.

“Hey, this isn’t an easy game to play. It’s supposed to be difficult, but that’s what you sign up for,” Belden said. “But this game is also meant to be fun because it is a kids game at heart. It’s not always easy to be out there clapping, encouraging and flying around playing your heart out, but these guys understand what it takes, and they’re committed to working hard at it to get where we want to be.”

Belden said two years ago the team opted to embrace the slogan “Choose Hard” to stay inspired.

He said they did so knowing those are difficult words to live up to, but they are words worth striving to comply with because choosing the right way to do things will be what gets the program back on top.

Belden said youthfulness is not an excuse but simply part of the process that must be overcome. As long as his players are willing to invest, work hard and do the little things right to improve their individual games along with their team chemistry, youthfulness will turn into experience, and that will be when the real fun begins.