Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Oakesdale boys return to the basketball floor next Tuesday night, Dec. 3, against Asotin.
The season opener follows the 2018-19 run which concluded at Spokane Arena on the fourth day of the 1B state tournament, for a sixth-place finish.
Gone are the four seniors that powered it – Kieron Anderson, Wesley Castanon, Evan Henning and Jacob Himes. Back is now-senior (point) guard Matt Hockett – bigger and stronger coming off an all-league football season playing for Colfax – his brother Kit, now a junior leading a list of other Oakesdale juniors; guards Simon Anderson and Tyler Bober, and now-sophomore Ryan Henning. Others are coming, new faces.
“Definitely we lost four seniors that were a big part of things last year,” said sixth-year coach Carl Crider, a farmer and former Tekoa/Oakesdale state champion player. “But with Matt Hockett stepping up in the leadership role and the sophomores from last year now juniors, it's not like we're two young to compete, too young to do something.”
Over the summer, the team hosted a tournament in Oakesdale in June, played in another at Lewis-Clark State College, then went to a team camp at EWU, playing eight games in three days. This fall, six kids played in a league in Spokane.
“In the offseason, you're given freedom,” said Crider. “To figure out how to play, what you're capable of. To go develop yourself. Make yourself a player. We have a number of guys that took advantage of that.”
Development
The Oakesdale gym was opened twice per week through the summer, with kids asking for more.
“This group, they've proven pretty hungry,” Crider said. “I would say they take the initiative to make themselves better.”
Who will be the point guard? Will Matt Hockett be needed in another role this year?
“A work in progress. We're really guard heavy,” Crider said.
Who will be the main shooters, with no Wesley Castanon in the starring role?
“I'm kind of hoping everybody,” Crider said.
Lineup
With Matt Hockett missing 16 games last year with an ankle injury from football, other players got significant varsity time in his place, such as Simon Anderson, Bober and Ryan Henning. Kit Hockett, Matt's brother, played key minutes subbing in for Kieron Anderson in the low post.
“Matt, the four juniors and Ryan Henning – those guys are gonna have to be the core,” Crider said. “I've seen a ton of growth from all of them.”
Gavin Shrope also returns to the varsity and new faces expected to contribute are sophomore Garrett Dingman – who started in the defensive backfield for Colfax football – sophomore Ryan Baljo and freshmen Jackson Perry and Shawn Bober.
The team's first practice was Nov. 18 with Hockett, Dingman and Shrope joining after Colfax's loss two days before in the 2B football playoffs. (Oakesdale students are allowed to play football at 2B Colfax – in accordance with WIAA rules, since Oakesdale has no team and its enrollment added to Colfax's would still keep it a 2B school).
Boost of last year
Together again for a new basketball season, the Oakesdale boys look to build on a distinct memory.
“The experience last year, though much of this group was in supporting roles by later in the season, it gave them that taste, that hey, that was awesome,” Crider said. “They want to get back.”
What about for Crider and assistant Kevin Young?
“In the same way it gave the players hope, hey look what we can do, it does for us too,” Crider said. “It's such a great experience for the young men in our town.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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