From worst to among the best: Ell-Saline boys basketball team shines
BROOKVILLE - This wacky, Ohhhh-Myyyyyy, Down Goes #1, buzzer-beating love fest Americans call March Madness is about to commence. And the Ell-Saline boys basketball team embraces it with open arms.
At 7 pm Tuesday at Ell-Saline, the Cardinals entertain - appropriately - the Inman Teutons, one of Kansas’ most unique and wacky nicknames of the state’s high schools as sub-states begin in the Sunflower State. The Cards will play Friday in Marion if they win Tuesday.
The Redbirds have won seven of their past nine games, are 16-4 and ranked fifth in Class 2A. How they got to 16-4 could be described in Hollywood as Hoosiers 2.0.
“When I took over it was a train wreck with no discipline or structure in place and it showed,” Cardinal coach Marty Wendel said. “That fact that I was the fourth coach Ell-Saline had hired in five years tells you a ton about those issues. What you are seeing transpire is a group fully buying into the culture that has been created and a group coming through right now that is extremely talented.”
In the beginning
Wendel’s first year - the 2020-21 season - the Redbirds went 0-20 and mired in a long losing streak.
“It was no secret to me as to what I was taking over,” he said. “I was fully aware that I was taking over a winless team (0-21 in 2019-20) when I accepted the job here. What I didn't know was how bad the overall culture was surrounding the program. My first year wasn't successful at all as far as wins and losses are concerned, but everyone within the program could see that the program as a whole was headed in the right direction.
“Athletes were starting to be held accountable and there was a sense of pride being brought back to Ell-Saline Boys Basketball. I can't lie and say I never questioned my decision or even my ability as a head coach, but luckily my support system around me was tremendous. Two people specifically are my wife, Alyssa, and Mr. Wilson, our building principal, they listened to me vent a lot but were always so supportive and continually reiterated that things were headed in the right direction and would just take time.”
They lost 51 consecutive games in a stretch that began Jan. 18, 2019 and didn’t end until Dec. 7, 2021. A total of approximately 1,066 days without winning a basketball game.
“I was here when we were the worst team in Kansas, and now being one of the best teams in 2A, it means a lot,” senior Marshall Johnson said. “I think with great coaching this was bound to happen and glad it happened when I’m still here.”
“This team works really hard to get what we want, but we make sure to have fun in the process,” senior Joe Hiechel said. “We have come a long way speaking as a senior from a 0-51 losing streak to becoming a ranked team in 2A basketball. We have worked very hard to get to this point.”
“Marshall Johnson and Joe Hiechel have been on this ride with me from the beginning,” Wendel said. “It is truly amazing to look back at where we started and see how far they have helped me get this program in four years. It tells you a lot about their character and resiliency as young men. I am so proud of them and of this team as a whole. It has been a heck of a ride so far and God willing it will continue for a long, long time.”
‘An absolute freak of an athlete’
Five players average 6.9 points a game or more headlined by All-Monster Athlete Brogan Rowley, who’s being recruited by Division I schools for his high jumping skills. His personal record is 6-foot-10 and he’s hoping to hit 7-foot this spring. He’s visited Minnesota and hopes to visit KU soon.
“Not too many coaches get the opportunity to coach someone like Brogan Rowley,” Wendel said. “He is an absolute freak of an athlete and just continues to do things that impress more and more. Brogan has come so far as a person and player. He is a huge key to our success and has become a great leader within the program.”
Rowley, a 6-foot-5 junior, is averaging 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3 steals per game. Kas Kramer and Johnson both average 9.1 points each, Trey Williams is contributing 8.4 points and Reese Krone is at 6.9 points.
“Ell-Saline basketball has come a long way the past couple years. I remember in middle school watching the high school basketball team struggle to win on any given night,” said Krone, who owns a best of 14 points. “To go from a team who struggles to win just a couple games a season to now a team who is a real threat is amazing. I’m glad our team has improved so much, especially for those seniors and Mr Wendel who have worked so hard to make the team who it is today.”
“Being a sophomore and only being here two years I’ve learned a lot can happen in just only two years,” Kramer said. “We had a good season last year (13-9) but we knew we could do better this year and that’s exactly what we did. We all have worked really hard for this and put in the time and effort to be where we are.”
“I would say that this team has excelled by a lot in the last three years,” Williams said. “We have gone from a losing record to being one of the best teams in 2A basketball.”
Rowley has been a fixture in the good times and bad.
“I think this team has come a long ways from being 0-51 to having a winning record and being the 2 seed at sub-state and not being ranked a long time to being a top 10 team in 2A,” Rowley said.
“There isn't a ton of gap within our top 10 players so we are able to challenge each other daily and have seen a ton of growth from it,” Wendel said. “This group is really fun to watch and be around because of their unselfishness. We have five guys average 7 points or more on the season which makes this group hard to slow down. They have also forced 342 turnovers on the defensive end this season which speaks volumes about this group’s discipline and energy.”
‘This team is unlike any other’
“Getting the 2 seed at sub-state means that we have one of the best possible chances to make an appearance at state,” Hiechel, who’s tossed in a game-high nine points, noted. “Going to the state tournament would undoubtedly prove several people wrong and give us the ultimate confidence to go take anyone in the process.”
The Cardinals haven’t qualified for state in 12 years. Their only state basketball championship occurred 42 years ago in 1982.
“I believe we’ve been able to succeed due to our ability to work together as a team and enjoy doing it together,” Krone said. “Our athleticism matches well with any team and allows us to outwork other teams.”
“This team is unlike any other,” said Johnson, whose career in-game best is 29 points. “We all have put in much time and effort to get where we are now. Coach Wendel always has a great plan to get us ready as well. I remember my freshman year where we didn’t win a single game and now we are one of the best teams in the state. Really a great feeling.”
“We have been able to win 16 games because of how much effort we put into games,” Williams said. “Our practices are the most competitive thing on the planet, and we try to out-hustle other teams.”
Last year’s 13-9 campaign was the Redbirds’ first winning season in at least 17 years according to MaxPreps. Redbird records only went back to the 2005-06 season.
Kramer said the team reached 16 regular-season wins because of the time and effort the players and coaches have put into the team.
“We have practiced over a dozen times at 6am on a school day and everyone is showing up on time and immediately going to work,” Kramer said. “We have been really good at battling one main stand our team has made is to stay in a battle and we will battle back to win the game.”
“It would mean a lot if we make it to state. It would just show how hard we work during practice and how good our coach is in games and making us work hard even in those early mornings,” Rowley, who owns a 35-point game, said.
But these Cardinals aren’t finished with their job.
“It definitely feels very rewarding, but we are not done yet,” Hiechel said.
“It’s been amazing to be a part of a team who has came a long way the past couple years,” Krone noted. “I’m so happy for our seniors and Mr Wendel that we are able to succeed and make up for some of the tough past couple years. It gives our school pride and respect for our basketball program again.”
“It means a lot that we got the number 2 seed In sub-state, but that means nothing unless we can go get it done and get to state,” Johnson said. “I have no doubt in my mind that we can accomplish that.”
“I think that we deserve it,” Williams, whose top scoring game is 20 points, said of the 2 seed at sub-state. “We have worked extremely hard every single day to get in the position that we are in right now. I think it’s pretty amazing, going from not winning a game to being ranked is awesome. I think it’ll be that way for a while.”
Kramer, a 17-point high scorer, said he’s been glad to be part of the resurgence of Cardinal basketball.
“It means a lot more than I can really say,” he said. “Being able to help the team out and keep going is a special thing to feel.”
“I think it’s already amazing the success we’ve had this season,” Rowley lamented, “but we still have a long ways to go.”
“This season we have seen a ton of success and beaten a lot of really good teams,” Wendel said. “This group of young men is extremely coachable and talented. Yes, the culture change has been a help to our success, but we don't get to where we are this season without some really talented players.
“This group has put in countless amounts of hours in the weight room and gym in the off-season to continue to get better. We have gone from irrelevant in 2A to become a top 10 team and one that not too many teams would like to play this postseason. We are hungry for more and ready to make some more noise in the weeks ahead.”
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: From worst to among the best: Ell-Saline boys basketball team shines
