November 24, 2021 at 12:05 a.m.
All-MAC duo the focal point of Fort Recovery boys
All-MAC duo the focal point of Fort Recovery boys
The Indians lost two-thirds of their roster from a year ago.
They bring back two starters, who were also all-conference players, and interim coach Bob Leverette is looking forward to seeing what the pair can do in leading the Tribe.
“Anytime you can come back with two starters … anytime you have two guys that started and you can build around the following year, that’s huge,” said Leverette, who is stepping in for coach Jim Melton as he deals with health issues.
Leverette, a 1995 FRHS graduate who is the program’s all-time leader in 3-pointers in a game (nine) and a season (74), spent the last few seasons as the Tribe’s freshman coach. So the two returning starters — senior Owen Jutte and junior Cale Rammel — are familiar with his coaching style.
Although Leverette said he hopes to continue with Melton’s offensive and defensive philosophies when the season begins Saturday at South Adams, he’s going to let the Indians freestyle a little more on offense. The only thing that might change structurally from Melton, he said, is how he conducts his practices.
But the Indian offense will be based around Jutte and Rammel, who scored 11 and 10 points per game, respectively, in 2020-21. Jutte was first team All-Midwest Athletic Conference last year, joining the departed Brian Bihn as the Indians to receive the honor. Rammel was second team All-MAC.
“Any coach we’re playing knows everything is going to go through Owen and Cale,” he said. “All sets are geared toward those guys.
“There’s going to be nights they get face guarded, diamond-and-two, box-and-one — those other guys have to step up. Coach (Melton) is big into a lot of (set plays). This group isn’t geared toward running a bunch of sets.”
Junior guard Landon Post spent most of his sophomore season on junior varsity, but he’ll have the task of being the team’s point guard in place of All-MAC honorable mention Derek Jutte.
“He is a hard-nosed kid,” Leverette said of Post. “Big thing is learning the pace of the game. That is one thing I am big on, we want to control the pace of the game.
“If we get a rebound and we bust out and go get a layup, we’re going to take it. If it’s not there we need to pull it out. He likes to go, (so) we’ve got to pull him back.”
Owen Jutte will be the team’s shooting guard while Rammel is the small forward.
Daniel Patch is returning to the program after taking off his sophomore season, and the 6-foot, 7-inch junior will be the power forward.
“He’s a kid that can hit the three at 6-7, and we can post him up,” Leverette said, adding he’s going to be trailing fast breaks so he can be ready to pop from the outside or get set in the post.
Leverette said seniors Logan Homan and Cale Evers can run the center position at 6 feet, 4 inches apiece. Evers is slated to be the first forward off the bench to give the Tribe a three-man rotation.
Troy Homan (sophomore) and Wyatt Grover (junior) are likely to see time as guards, while sophomore Rex Leverette — Bob’s son — and junior Ross Pearson can see time as wings.
“I don’t know how deep we’ll be,” the older Leverette said. “I don’t see more than eight to keep the flow of the game.”
Fort Recovery ended the season with a 59-38 loss to St. Henry in the sectional final. It was 12-12 overall and 5-4 in MAC play.
Behind conference player of the year Justin Nixon, Minster went undefeated on its way to the league championship. But the Wildcats lose seven seniors. Leverette sees New Bremen, St. Henry and Versailles as the top teams in the conference this year.
“We could be right there with them if we buy into playing defense,” he said. “Offensively, I think we’re going to score. Will we be physical enough to go rebound and play defense?”
Following Saturday’s season opener, Fort Recovery returns home to host state-line rival Jay County on Dec. 4. The Indians open MAC play Dec. 10 at home against St. John’s and also host conference rivals New Knoxville (Jan. 7), St. Henry (Jan. 21) and Versailles (Feb. 11). Road MAC games are at Parkway (Dec. 17), Marion Local (Jan. 14), Coldwater (Jan. 28), Minster (Feb. 4) and New Bremen (Feb. 18).
“I’m looking forward to getting started,” Leverette said. “It’s been a whirlwind with coach being out.”
They bring back two starters, who were also all-conference players, and interim coach Bob Leverette is looking forward to seeing what the pair can do in leading the Tribe.
“Anytime you can come back with two starters … anytime you have two guys that started and you can build around the following year, that’s huge,” said Leverette, who is stepping in for coach Jim Melton as he deals with health issues.
Leverette, a 1995 FRHS graduate who is the program’s all-time leader in 3-pointers in a game (nine) and a season (74), spent the last few seasons as the Tribe’s freshman coach. So the two returning starters — senior Owen Jutte and junior Cale Rammel — are familiar with his coaching style.
Although Leverette said he hopes to continue with Melton’s offensive and defensive philosophies when the season begins Saturday at South Adams, he’s going to let the Indians freestyle a little more on offense. The only thing that might change structurally from Melton, he said, is how he conducts his practices.
But the Indian offense will be based around Jutte and Rammel, who scored 11 and 10 points per game, respectively, in 2020-21. Jutte was first team All-Midwest Athletic Conference last year, joining the departed Brian Bihn as the Indians to receive the honor. Rammel was second team All-MAC.
“Any coach we’re playing knows everything is going to go through Owen and Cale,” he said. “All sets are geared toward those guys.
“There’s going to be nights they get face guarded, diamond-and-two, box-and-one — those other guys have to step up. Coach (Melton) is big into a lot of (set plays). This group isn’t geared toward running a bunch of sets.”
Junior guard Landon Post spent most of his sophomore season on junior varsity, but he’ll have the task of being the team’s point guard in place of All-MAC honorable mention Derek Jutte.
“He is a hard-nosed kid,” Leverette said of Post. “Big thing is learning the pace of the game. That is one thing I am big on, we want to control the pace of the game.
“If we get a rebound and we bust out and go get a layup, we’re going to take it. If it’s not there we need to pull it out. He likes to go, (so) we’ve got to pull him back.”
Owen Jutte will be the team’s shooting guard while Rammel is the small forward.
Daniel Patch is returning to the program after taking off his sophomore season, and the 6-foot, 7-inch junior will be the power forward.
“He’s a kid that can hit the three at 6-7, and we can post him up,” Leverette said, adding he’s going to be trailing fast breaks so he can be ready to pop from the outside or get set in the post.
Leverette said seniors Logan Homan and Cale Evers can run the center position at 6 feet, 4 inches apiece. Evers is slated to be the first forward off the bench to give the Tribe a three-man rotation.
Troy Homan (sophomore) and Wyatt Grover (junior) are likely to see time as guards, while sophomore Rex Leverette — Bob’s son — and junior Ross Pearson can see time as wings.
“I don’t know how deep we’ll be,” the older Leverette said. “I don’t see more than eight to keep the flow of the game.”
Fort Recovery ended the season with a 59-38 loss to St. Henry in the sectional final. It was 12-12 overall and 5-4 in MAC play.
Behind conference player of the year Justin Nixon, Minster went undefeated on its way to the league championship. But the Wildcats lose seven seniors. Leverette sees New Bremen, St. Henry and Versailles as the top teams in the conference this year.
“We could be right there with them if we buy into playing defense,” he said. “Offensively, I think we’re going to score. Will we be physical enough to go rebound and play defense?”
Following Saturday’s season opener, Fort Recovery returns home to host state-line rival Jay County on Dec. 4. The Indians open MAC play Dec. 10 at home against St. John’s and also host conference rivals New Knoxville (Jan. 7), St. Henry (Jan. 21) and Versailles (Feb. 11). Road MAC games are at Parkway (Dec. 17), Marion Local (Jan. 14), Coldwater (Jan. 28), Minster (Feb. 4) and New Bremen (Feb. 18).
“I’m looking forward to getting started,” Leverette said. “It’s been a whirlwind with coach being out.”
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