Arcanum basketball has, over the last few years, under the leadership of coach Brackman, and the kids have been buying into his system. The Trojans have a lot of returning lettermen and a deep roster, along with some added height for this year’s team. They won’t be a team you’ll want to sleep on and will get better as the season goes along, and hopefully primed for a long tournament run.
Returning Lettermen
Matthew McCans – SR, 5’10, Guard, HM All-Conference, 11.7ppg, Matthew is a hard-nosed guard who can score around the rim but is also one of the top three-point shooters in the conference.
Cameron Ball – SR, 6’2, Forward, 2nd Team All-Conference, HM All Southwest District, 9.5ppg & 9.3rbs. Cameron finished second in the conference in rebounding last year. He’s got a great nose for the ball around the rim.
Charlie Weiss – SR, 6’0, Guard, 5.6ppg. Charlie is a quick combo guard who can do it all. We look for Charlie to step into a role this season where he impacts the game on multiple levels.
Cole Kessler – SR, 6’1, Guard/Forward, Cole started all 23 games for us last season. His leadership will be important to our success. He’s a strong on-ball defender who can play multiple positions within our offense.
Bishop Cartwright – JR, 6’0, Guard. Bishop came off the bench last season as a sophomore and played in all 23 games. He has proven that he can handle the ball for our team in big moments. His offensive and defensive game make him a dual threat.
Jace Mote – JR, 5’7, Guard. Jace made the jump to varsity halfway through the year last season. His ability to see the floor and facilitate the ball in our offense makes him a true PG.
Key Contributors/Newcomers
Ben Hamilton – SO, 6’7, Forward/Center, 1st Team All-Conference, Honorable Mention All-State, 10.7ppg & 10.5rbs. Ben is a gym rat whose best days are yet to come. He was the top rebounder in the conference last season as a freshman. He is a true rim protector and can score from anywhere on the floor.
Carson Hamilton – JR, 6’2, Forward. Carson has more than a dozen varsity games under his belt. His experience off the bench this season will be huge for our program.
Gideon Garno – JR, 6’0, Forward/Guard. A tough Swiss Army knife-type player who brings multiple strengths to the floor. Gideon is an excellent on-ball defender. He is set for a big junior season and will make a direct impact.
Aiden Carlisle – JR, 6’0, Guard. As one of the top shooters in our program, Aiden makes the jump from JV last season.
Talan Stone – SO, 6’3, Forward. Talan is a post player who is a versatile athlete around the rim. We expect Talan to make big strides throughout the season.
Dane Byers – SR, 5’8, Guard. Dane played JV last season. He’s a true leader in our program and is a great shooter from the perimeter.
Strengths/Keys To Success
We graduated a large chunk of our scoring, but return a large portion of our squad from a team that finished 3rd in the conference last year. Every varsity player in our program brings something a little different to the table. We can score inside and out, as well as in transition. We have a deep roster that understands what it means to put the team first. We will lean on our defensive pressure to help us win games. Our goal is to be playing our best basketball come tournament time.
Pre-Season Top Teams
We have a lot of great coaches in our league who are getting the most out of their players. Conference night matchups will be fun to follow, and on non-conference nights, I expect our league to be well-represented. Tri-Village and Preble Shawnee are the two programs we hope to challenge at the top of the standings this year. We have the mold of a team that could surprise people. I believe MV, National Trail, FM, and Newton all have the ability to win big games with their experienced guard play returning from last season.
Information provided by the coaches.
