Height will help Jay Boys

After losing four seniors who led the Patriots to their best record in school history, there may have been some question last year about whether the team could continue its streak of winning seasons.
But five straight victories — all on the road — guaranteed the Jay County High School boys basketball team would finish with a record above .500 for the 13th year in a row.
Getting No. 14 may be just as difficult.
“It’s going to be tough,” said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team opens it season Nov. 26 against Muncie Central. “We had five seniors that really understood the program and the system. They really understood how we had to play to be successful.”
Trey Teagle and Jake Schlosser, both of whom averaged more than 11 points per game, have graduated. Role players Zach Fullenkamp, Zane Shreve and Kyle Selvey are also gone, and with them went the majority of the Patriots’ offense. The five combined for 67.1 percent of the scoring a year ago.
To make up for their loss, the Patriots will try to command more of a presence near the hoop to help create offensive chances.
“What we’re going to do is be more inside-oriented,” said Teagle, who notched his 300th career victory Jan. 24 with a 49-35 win over Winchester. “I think both Jay (Houck) and Adam (Dirksen) have a chance to score around the rim for us this year.
“We didn’t get anything easy last year because we were so small.”
Zach Pryor and Houck are the highest scoring returning players. The two averaged nearly six points per game last season.
Houck, a 6-foot-2-inch sophomore, played in all 21 games his freshman year, reaching double figures four times including a team-high 17 points in the sectional loss to Fort Wayne South Side.
“Jay has a chance to be a really good basketball player here,” said Teagle. “He’s got good hands, can shoot the three and post up. He’s got a good mid-range game.
“He’s going to be important for us inside but also that ability to step outside if he’s getting banged around because he shoots the three pretty well.”
Adam Dirsken, another tower for the Patriots, will try to use his 6-foot-4-inch frame alongside Houck to take care of rebounds.
“He’s really improved this summer,” Teagle said of Dirksen, a junior. “He’s becoming more aggressive. He’s understanding that you don’t have to be mean on the court, but you can be a little nasty. He’s just such a nice kid.
“Him and Jay really work well together in the high-low post, feeding each other the ball. His length disrupts stuff around the rim, which we didn’t have last year.”
Without a clear-cut starting five, Teagle said a mix of seven different players will occupy those roles.
Junior Kyler Carvel will join seniors Nick Clemens, Justin Dirsken and Pryor in the back court, with Bowen Runyon seeing time with Houck and Adam Dirksen in the front court.
Each of them brings something different to the table.
Pryor will have a much bigger role this season than in previous years. Teagle said he will be more of a leader, running the point but also stepping aside at times to play off the ball.
“His quickness and explosiveness can hopefully get us a lot of fast-break points that we didn’t get last year at some times,” Teagle added. “We look for a really good season from him.”
Teagle said Justin Dirksen, Adam’s older brother, knows only one speed. He gives 100 percent effort any time he is on the court, whether in a game situation or in practice.
Runyon, a junior who is coming off an elbow injury he sustained over the summer, has been a critical part of the defense in the offseason.
Jay County was third in the state last season in defensive average (42.1 PPG), and the Patriots will seek to be just as strong although their strengths and weaknesses have changed.
“This group … they’re just different,” Teagle said. “We have a little more height this year. We’re not nearly as strong as we were last year. We’re more inexperienced but we had a pretty decent summer.”
Filling out the Patriots’ roster will be Ryan Burkett, Spencer Calvert and Bryan Stancliffe.
Entering the team’s first season in the Allen County Athletic Conference, Jay County has played regular-season games against all but three of its new rivals. Jay County is 59-10 all-time against Adams Central, Bluffton, South Adams and Southern Wells.
With the exception of tournament games over the summer, the Patriots have not played Woodlan, Leo or Heritage.
“My goal would be to finish in the top half, but we know that’s going to be tough,” said Teagle, whose team begins conference play Dec. 5 at home against Woodlan. Three of the Patriots’ first nine games are ACAC contests, two of which are at home. “We’ll have to grow up a lot, quickly.