2023-24 Lenawee County boys basketball preview
This should be one of the most exciting boys basketball seasons in recent Lenawee County boys basketball history.
Two county players are future Division I players in Ayden Davis from Onsted and Stevie Elam from Adrian.
Four schools have new coaches taking over their program — two who are getting their first shot at varsity jobs and two who are veterans on the bench.
Steve Walters takes over the Sand Creek program after the Aggies went 0-23 last season. He led Jefferson to one of its best seasons in school history a few years back. Jeff Webster is the new head coach at Hudson, where he will try and build the program from scratch. He coached 15 years at Madison and has more than 200 career wins.
Here’s a look around the county in time for the 2023-24 boys basketball season:
ADDISON
2022-23: 11-10
Coach: Marv Cox, fourth year, 17-39
Returning starters: Spencer Brown, Jaxen Sword, Gunnar Demeuse.
Other returning players: Seniors Drew Spink, Gavin Gibson, TJ Dexter, Evan Delezenne.
Newcomers: Juniors Josh Ray, Mikey Trumble.
Outlook: Brown averaged 15.5 points per game last year. He’s a four-year starter and by far the most experienced Panther. Addison will have only nine players on the varsity and seven on the JV. Cox said one of the keys to the season will be rebounding and limiting turnovers.
Coach says: “Even though we have some experience, some of the players did not see much action last year due to the outgoing senior class. The kids work hard and are willing to put it all out on the floor. We are going to be missing a couple of kids that were going to play a lot for us this year.”
Notable: Addison lost junior Jay Griewahn, who was diagnosed with leukemia and sophomore Quincy Smith who will be undergoing knee surgery from an injury suffered during football season.
First game: Monday vs. Hudson.
ADRIAN
2022-23: 13-11
Coach: Jordan Kelly, sixth season, 52-57
Returning starters: Seniors Sean Parker and Tristan Hayes; Juniors Antonio Brown, Stevie Elam and Carson DeKeyser.
Other returning players: Senior Logan Harrah, sophomores Jaxson Francis, Calvin Polley.
Newcomers: Senior Gabriele Cirino; juniors Solomon Hiatt, Gavin Gaylor, Gary Kemerer, Jay Sean Rembert.
Outlook: Elam is coming off an all-state sophomore season in which he averaged 19.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and shot 80 percent from the free throw line. He had a great AAU summer and is getting looks from Division 1 colleges. He’s the go-to guy on offense, but several others should help carry the scoring load.
Coach says: “We are really excited about the team this year. We have great team chemistry with so many returners, and they are catching the newcomers up quickly. We are a hard-nosed team, and these guys buy in on the defensive end. We are still pretty small, but we have a lot of team speed. We are ready to get going.”
BLISSFIELD
2022-23: 6-17
Coach: David DeVantier, first season
Returning starters: Seniors Gabe Schnoor, Tyler Ganun and Chet Meyer.
Other returning players: Seniors Brayden Fetzer, Kyle Henning and Ethan Stines; juniors Blake Wood and Mason Case.
Newcomers: Donny Bussell, Kassidy Lenz, Michael Gibbons, Jack Deatrick, Blake Iffland
Outlook: DeVantier is a Blissfield graduate who takes over the program. Schnoor led the team in scoring last season at 14.8 points per game. Henning is starting his third season with the varsity.
Coach says: “I have a lot of confidence in this team that we will be able to run in transition and play a very fun style of basketball.”
Season opener: Tuesday at Lenawee Christian.
BRITTON DEERFIELD
2022-23: 9-14
Coach: Darren Shiels, 15th season, 109-180
Returning starters: Seniors Logan Shiels, Colin Johnson and Brayden Shiels.
Other returning players: Seniors Leland Smith and Carson Johnson; Juniors Keegan Bush, Ryan Good and Owen Plum.
Newcomers: Senior Gabe Bishop; Juniors Jameson Watson and Caden Eby.
Outlook: Shiels is coming off knee surgery but has been given the all-clear to play. He has more than 900 career points and more than 100 3-pointers. Johnson and Brayden Shiels are capable scorers as well.
Coach says: “The three seniors have a ton of varsity basketball under their belt. Our goal this year is to be steady and consistent, play our game.”
Season opener: Tuesday at Pittsford.
CLINTON
2022-23: 20-5
Coach: Jeremy Chavez, sixth season, 55-52
Returning starter: Jalen Stelzer
Other returning players: Andy Fair.
Newcomers: Eli Turner, Devon Trent, Calen Keith, Brody Stipe, Teegan Zbikowski, Chase Gillmore.
Outlook: Clinton must replace seven seniors who won back-to-back district titles and 20 games last season. Stelzer is the leading returning scorer for the Redwolves. He averaged 12.2 points and 8.6 rebounds a game last season and shot 58 percent from the floor. The rest of team is short on experience.
Coach says: “We want to be competitive in all of our games and get better as the season goes. This team so far shares the ball and makes the extra pass to find the open shooter. This team plays hard and will hopefully play competitive in every game giving us a chance to win most games.”
Season opener: Tuesday at Manchester.
HUDSON
2022-23: 10-14
Coach: Jeff Webster, first season at Hudson
Returning starters: None
Returning players: KJ Walker, Lucius Arnett, Alex Czeiszperger.
Newcomers: Isaac St. John, Jack McMillion, Jackson Jones, Angelo Moreno, Cyrus Arnett, Phoenix Pike, Qwaden Wallace, Koen Hinzman and Drew Engle-Wendt.
Outlook: Hudson will lean on Walker and Arnett to be the leaders, especially early on as they are the most experienced players on the team.
Coach says: “I do like our team chemistry and that the kids are very unselfish. We don't really have a great scorer so we will have to score by committee early on. We will have to rely on our defense early in the season to keep us in games until our offensive side of the ball comes around. As far as the season goes it will be a learning process for the kids as majority of the roster has never played at the varsity level.”
Notable: Webster won 205 games and three district titles as a head coach at Madison.
Season opener: Monday, vs. Addison.
LENAWEE CHRISTIAN
2022-23: 13-12
Coach: Matt Summer, fifth season, 47-42
Returning starters: Seniors Brandon Summer and Tyler Salenbien; Sophomores Jaxon Salenbien and Daniel Scrupsky.
Other returning players: Juniors Seth Davis and Aidan Kaulins.
Newcomers: Seniors Sam Lutz and Paul Towler; Junior Gabe Miller; Sophomore Pierson Cousino and Eli Lutz; freshman Drew Kirkendall.
Outlook: Summer averaged 17.4 points per game last year while making 64 3-pointers. He was named All-State and has put a ton of work in the off-season. Jaxon Salenbien led the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game last year and was also all-state. Kaulins transferred to LCS from Onsted last year but was ineligible and couldn’t play, but practiced the entire season and will play a big role for the Cougars this year.
Coach says: “We return a lot of solid talent — lots of guys that can put the ball in the basket. We have a good combination of some size and athleticism. We have more seniors this year than we’ve had in a while and will lean on them for leadership. This year’s group brings a good mix of skill, size, athleticism, and experience.”
Season opener: Tuesday against Blissfield.
MADISON
2022-23: 16-7
Coach: Erik Thompson, seventh season, 63-62
Returning starters: Senior Jayden Holly; Juniors Antonio Nieto and Bryce Jordan.
Other returning players: Seniors Jayden Saad, Jakob Douglas; Sophomore Brian Dopp.
Newcomers: Juniors Ayden McKimmy, Julius Patterson, Alex Gonzales and Santiago Loredo; Sophomores Brooks Horwath, Francisco Ramierz Jr.; Freshmen Derrell Tilllman and Elijah Hiatt.
Outlook: Nieto averaged 12.0 points and 2.3 steals a game last season. He’ll be a leader for the Trojans. Thompson is stressing defense and rebounding during the preseason.
Coach says: “The fun aspect to coaching high school is that you have to adapt your coaching style to the kids you have. We are going to have to play with more pace than previous years and run different sets that allow the kids we have to be successful. Having a growth mindset is important with this team as we are so young. What we are in December is not what we will be in January and February. Something that we as a staff preach each day is for the kids to get a little better with each opportunity whether that is a practice, scrimmage or game.”
Season opener: At Erie Mason, Nov. 28.
MORENCI
2022-23: 7-17
Coach: Garrett Benjamin, first season at Morenci
Returning starters: Shamus Alcock
Other returning player: Isaac Shoemaker
Newcomers: Juniors Van Ekins, Zach Stevens, Ryan Gill; Sophomores Talan Kruse, Finn Molintierno, Tucker Betz; Freshmen Landon Wilkins and Jonas Castillo.
Outlook: Morenci loses almost all of its scoring production from last year’s seven-win team. Alcock is the only player returning with much varsity experience and can score from different spots on the floor. The Bulldogs will build around him, especially early in the season.
Coach says: “I like the opportunity for all of us here to build something together. With only two players having varsity experience, all of us including those two have a chance to get the program and the town rolling in the right direction and that’s a challenge I think we’re all excited about. We want to be better defensively. To have success, we have to take pride in who we are and what we’re looking to accomplish, and that starts with locking in, getting stops, and finishing the possession with a rebound.”
Season opener: At Ida Tuesday.
ONSTED
2022-23: 18-5
Coach: Brad Maska, 17th year, 241-108
Returning starters: Seniors Ayden Davis, Connor Szul, Quinn Hiram; Junior Aidan Paquin; Sophomore Rylan Henagan.
Other returning players: Junior JT Hill.
Newcomers: Talan Hutchinson, Collin Gerken Jr., Wes Rumsey, Bryan Caddell.
Outlook: Davis is an All-Stater who averaged 23.2 points, 15.0 rebounds and blocked 139 shots last season. He’s committed to Wright State University. Henegan averaged 2.9 assists per game last year. The Wildcats have won back-to-back LCAA championships.
Coach says: “Our kids have been working extremely hard every night, which will be the foundation of this team moving forward. We are excited to be competing in an LCAA conference that is as tough and balanced every year. There will be no nights off this year and that is what we are preparing for every day in practice. Our hopes are to battle for another league title and make a strong run in this year’s tournament.”
Season opener: Monday against Hanover-Horton at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit.
SAND CREEK
2022-23: 0-23
Coach: Steve Walters, first season at Sand Creek
Returning starters: Seniors Carson Preston and Trevor Opel; Junior Rory Eack.
Other returning players: Seniors Parker Bowles and Noah Elliiott; Junior Aidan Walsh.
Newcomers: Juniors Tyler Thompson, Cole Scharer, Caleb Luck, Zach Brockway and Ephraim Phillips.
Outlook: The Aggies lost 23 straight games last season but should be vastly improved from last year, especially with a more experienced roster. Opel was the Aggies leading scorer last year at 12.2 points per game. Each averaged 11.7 points and blocked 24 shots. Preston led the county in assists last year, dishing out 4.3 per game. Eack blocked 24 shots in 2022-23.
Coach says: “We must bring it on the defensive end each night. We need some guys to step into bigger roles this year and take on the task of leading the team. We want to be the team that plays the hardest and does all the little things on the court to be successful.”
Season opener: Tuesday vs. Waldron.
TECUMSEH
2022-23: 20-7
Coach: Jamison Webster, fifth season, 44-41
Returning starters: None
Returning players: Seniors Diego Juarez, Ryan Barrie, Mason Tuberville and Max Danley; Junior Ryan Mossburg.
Newcomers: Seniors AJ Bryan, Bryant Batyik; Juniors: Tyler Clement, Logan Smith, Ben Abbott, Chase Findley, Sam Packard, Daniel Haddix, Micheal Longabaugh.
Outlook: Mossburg is a three-year varsity player who has gotten better since last season, when Tecumseh reached the regional finals.
Notable: Webster will face off against his father, Jeff, when the Hudson Tigers host Tecumseh Feb. 22.
Coach says: “I really like how hard they come and compete every single day. They are students of the game and try to soak in as much as they can each and every day at practice. I believe we will be a team that gets better as the year goes on with the more varsity minutes this group gets under their belt.”
Season opener: Tuesday vs. Jackson Northwest.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: 2023-24 Lenawee County boys basketball preview
