Youthful Oran boys basketball team preps for 2015-16 season

Oran coach Joe Shoemaker started talking about a team that graduated three starters from last year as a group that was short on experience.

And after some time for consideration, the eight-year coach also came to another conclusion.

"[Senior] Blake Schlitt is probably my biggest guy at about 6-3, after that we're probably around the 6-foot-and-shorter mark, so it really is probably the shortest team I've had," Shoemaker said.

The graduation of Jacob Priggel, Hunter Schlosser and Thomas Trankler subtracted 45 points a game from a team that averaged just under 62 points a game.

Junior guard Max Priggel, the leading returning scorer at 9.2 points per game, and 6-1 senior center Garrison Mangels, are the team's most experienced players.

The pair will be joined in the starting lineup by a youthful group of guards that include sophomore Layne Johnson and Cole Priggel, as well as freshman Jacob Shoemaker.

"We 're going to play some younger players, and hopefully they'll make the adjustment as the year goes on," Shoemaker said.

Short on height in his lineup, Shoemaker thinks he has "four or five different guys that can shoot from the perimeter" and said his team will have to play team defense.

"They play together well and pass the ball well," Shoemaker said about a tight group.

Mangels -- the team's third-leading rebounder last year behind Schlosser and Jacob Priggel -- is one of three seniors on the team.

The group includes Schlitt and Preston Hahn, who will be giving the Eagles experience off the bench.

"They've done a good job of accepting their roles," Shoemaker said. "They come in and give us energy and points off the bench. I'm expecting our four upperclassmen to lead the way."

Shoemaker said the Eagles, who have lost to Advance in district title games the last two years after defeating the Hornets in district title games the previous three years, are going to go through some growing pains with their youthful lineup.

"The things that I'm liking right now is this group is playing extremely hard with a lot energy, and I also think it will be one of those groups that will continue to get better as the year goes along and gets some experience," Shoemaker said. "The four things we want to work on controlling is our attitude, our effort, our team rebounding and our turnovers. If we can't rebound and take care of the basketball, we're not going to win many ballgames."

Players to watch

Shoemaker sees a group effort for the team instead of one person carrying the bulk of the load.

"This group plays so unselfish, whoever gets hot that night is going to get a lot of looks," Shoemaker said. "We're very versatile with what we have. I think it can change from game to game."

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Class 1 District 2

Conference

Scott-Mississippi

Head coach

Joe Shoemaker

(8th year)

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ROSTER

No. Player Year

21 Cole Priggel 10

22 Jacob Shoemaker 9

23 Max Priggel 11

31 Luke Barnes 11

32 Preston Hahn 12

33 Layne Johnson 10

35 Wyatt Kinney 11

43 Drew Reischman 10

44 Garrison Mangels 12

55 Blake Schlitt 12

STARTERS GONE

Jacob Priggel

Hunter Schlosser

Thomas Trankler

STARTERS BACK

Garrison Mangels

Max Priggel

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SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

11/30 Oran Invitational Tourn.

12/11 @Scott City 7:30 p.m.

12/15 @East Prairie 7:30 p.m.

12/18 @Delta 7:30 p.m.

12/26 SEMissourian Xmas Tourn.

1/1 @Woodland TBA

1/5 @Bernie 7:30 p.m.

1/8 Saxony Lutheran 7:30 p.m.

1/12 Kelly 8 p.m.

1/14 @Woodland 7:30 p.m.

1/15 St. Vincent 7:30 p.m.

1/18 Scott-Mississippi Conf. Tourn.

1/26 @Oak Ridge 7:30 p.m.

1/29 Leopold 7:30 p.m.

2/2 Chaffee 7:30 p.m.

2/5 @Bell City 7:30 p.m.

2/9 Bloomfield 7:30 p.m.

2/12 Scott Co. Central 7:30 p.m.

2/16 @Advance 7:30 p.m.

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LAST SEASON

LEADERS

Points: Jacob Priggel (18.6 ppg)

Rebounds: Jacob Priggel (6.5 rpg)

Assists: Thomas Trankler (2.9 apg)

RECORD

19-9