2017-2018 Van Wert Boys Basketball Preview
School: Van Wert
Conference: WBL Division: II
Head Coach: Mark Bagley
Years at School: 5th Overall Record: 38-57
2016-2017 Record: 13-11 (4-5 in WBL)
2016-2017 Tournament Result: Lost to Elida in Sectional Final
Returning Lettermen:
Jacoby Kelly (Sr.)
Nate Place (Jr.)
Drew Bagley (Jr.)
Promising Newcomers:
Jonathan Lee (Sr.)
Thane Cowan (Sr.)
Joey Schaufelberger (Jr.)
Tanner Barnhart (So.)
Clayton Proffitt (So.)
Jake Hilleary (So.)
Owen Treece (Fr.)
Coach’s Comments: “Van Wert begins season #5 under head coach Mark Bagley (Van Wert High School and Taylor University), who are looking to improve on their 13-11 record from last year with 4 starters returning. Van Wert has experience returning from last year’s team with 4 of their top 5 scorers coming back. They are excited about the offseason development of several young players and continue to have the program going in a positive direction. The Van Wert program will continue to play great man to man defense and share the ball on offense running a variety of sets and motion. All players in the entire program have worked hard in the offseason to become better athletes, basketball players, leaders, and are anxious to begin the season. The emphasis and focus have been on the individual improvement of skill level and mental/physical toughness to compete and finish close games.
We come into this season with experience (4 returning letterman and starters) and with holes to fill (Losing 4 seniors to graduation including Honorable Mention All WBL Dylan Lautzenheiser). Van Wert does have one of the best point guards and players in the WBL returning in Senior Point Guard Jacoby Kelly and several key juniors including Nate Place, Drew Bagley, and Blake Henry. Several players hope to add balance and depth to the roster including Jonathan Lee, Thane Cowan, Tanner Barnhart, Clayton Proffitt, Jake Hilliary, and Owen Treece.
The complexion of our team will be speed, quickness, size, and athleticism with players who are versatile enough to play both inside and out. VWHS hopes to have the ability to score from all five spots on the floor and to improve our consistency from the perimeter as we look to play fast and attack the defense inside/out. The versatility of the team should make for some tough match-ups by using depth, size, and quickness. An important area of emphasis will be our team offense and our ability to score and make shots by running for layups, finishing post moves inside, offensive rebounds, and getting transition from our defense. Improved defense and rebounding is a huge point of emphasis in the offseason so we can get out and run to the other end to shoot the open shot. We will play a very tough schedule both league (WBL) and non-league (Added LCC, Marion Local, Wayne Trace, Minster, and Carroll – D1 team out of Fort Wayne over the course of the last 5 years.) There may be times that teams are more talented, but we will play together and work harder in order to find a way to compete and win each night. As you watch this team play and develop over the course of a long season, you will see a great group of kids who like each other and who will play hard and give it their best effort every second of every game. We have dedicated ourselves this year to live up to our motto of “defend the den” and improve our mental and physical toughness by doing today well.”