By Jordan Burton
Aaron Shockley is hoping that the third time will be the charm for his Lockwood Tigers.
Last year Lockwood took a major step forward in year two under Shockley. After 18 wins in 2014-15, the Tigers won 20 games last year, including the SRVC championship. But, without SRVC Player of the Year Ben Schnelle, Lockwood will have a new identity in 2016-17.
Schnelle averaged 16 PPG and 12 RPG for the Tigers last year.
“Ben will certainly be missed,” said Shockley. “Not only Ben, but that Senior class helped set the tone for how LT basketball will be for the future. But, I think these kids have learned a lot playing without him this summer and that has helped us realize what we need improve on. We have a really good group of guys and I really think they will pick up right where he left off.”
Leading the charge for the Tigers this year will be returning All-SRVC selections Cade Holman and Logan Sparkman.
Holman – a junior guard – is the team’s returning leader in scoring (15.4 PPG) and assists (4.3), and Sparkman – a junior forward – averaged 11 PPG and 6 RPG.
“They will have to take much bigger roles,” said Shockley. “Cade will have to play a couple different roles, at times be a scorer and at times be a pass first PG, the nice thing is, he’s really good at both of those roles.
Logan erupted on to the scene last year and earned a starting spot early on, he has a good work ethic and will continue to improve. This year he will have to expand his defensive role and defend some of the better players we see this year.”
Lockwood will also be helped out by the return of key contributors Brady Waters (6-foot-3 forward), Ethan Bates (6-foot-2 forward) and Will Beerly (5-foot-10 guard).
Waters and Bates will help replace Schnelle’s interior defense, while Beerly is a valued combo guard.
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Shockley is also looking forward to several new faces taking on bigger roles this season. Junior Jack Purinton (6-foot-1 forward) adds frontcourt depth and gives the Tigers another scorer and classmate Brady Oeltjen (5-foot-9 guard) is one of the team’s top defenders.
A trio of sophomores – all offensively minded – will also be battling for playing time.
Paxton Masterson (5-foot-11 guard) and Trey Coose (6-foot-1 forward) both have the ability to stretch the floor and Gage Dubs (5-foot-9 guard) will be in the hunt for a starting spot because of his ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
While repeating as conference champions is the goal yet again for Lockwood, the ultimate goal is a state championship which isn’t possible without a district title – which has been the team’s Achilles heel recently.
Lockwood has lost to Rich Hill in each of the last two district championship games.
Shockley is hoping that beefing up the nonconference schedule, which will include dates with Class 1 powers Walnut Grove and Eminence, will help Lockwood be battle tested come district time.
“Those district losses have been brought up a lot and it’s something the guys really want to change,” said Shockley. “We understand that we have to come in every day, and compete and get better. It is for sure a goal they set as a team and an achievement they want to finish.
Walnut Grove and Eminence are traditionally strong,” he continued. “Grove played for a state championship last year and Eminence bringing one of the top big men in class 1. They are two of the top powers in Class 1 and will only make us tougher come March.”
Returning two all-conference players and nine total lettermen has the expectations in Lockwood sky-high, but Shockley and company are looking forward to defending their conference title and ending the district drought.
“This group of guys is special and they all understand what is possible,” said Shockley. “They want to continue to build on what last year’s senior class started, and that is changing how Lockwood is viewed in basketball.
“They don’t only want to win they want to get better every day because they know that’s what it takes to play late into March. We set goals as a team, and I will hold them to that throughout the year. We had a very good summer; we found out a lot about ourselves and also exposed our weaknesses that we need to improve on. I am ready to get practice underway and get after it.”
