2025-26 Fort Recovery boys basketball preview

Schedule

Date    Opponent    Time

Saturday, Nov. 29    Jefferson    5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6    Jay County    6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 9    Fort Loramie    6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 12    Marion Local    6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 13    Bradford    6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 19    Parkway    6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20    Ansonia    4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 27    South Adams    6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 2    Lincolnview    6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 3    Botkins    4:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 9    New Bremen    6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16    Minster    6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 17    Crestview    5 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 23    Coldwater    6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 24    Mississinawa Valley    4:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 30    New Knoxville    6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 31    Dixie    6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6    Versailles    6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 7    Arcanum    4:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 13    St. John’s    6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14    Tri-Village    6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 20    St. Henry    6 p.m.

Home games in bold

Coach Bob Leverette says

“We’re expecting big things this year. We want to be at the top of the MAC, high in the standings. There's no excuses for us this year to not compete and be well over .500. ... They’re competitors. … I mean, they're intense. Their effort is out of this world. I don't know that I've been around the team, even being with (former coach Brian) Patch all those years that we've had a team that just, I mean, they just go at it every day practice. … So, I think we're just going to be real gritty. We’ve got good size. And the experience, I think, is hopefully show through.”

2024-25 season

The Tribe had an up-and-down season last year on the way to an 8-17 record and its first district championship berth since the 2016-17 season.  FRHS dropped its first three games before punching back with three wins to hit .500. That didn’t last though as it suffered a nine-game slide that included four Midwest Athletic Conference losses. The Indians finished In a three-way tie for seventh place in the MAC as they shared a 2-7 record with Parkway and New Bremen. Fort Recovery took its first two postseason games before Anna ended its season with a 67-59 defeat.

Top returners

Grant Overman

8.7 points per game

Breaker Jutte

8.1 points per game

Brody Barga

7.2 points per game

Key departures

Briggs Overman

11.9 points per game

Gavin Evers

6.6 points per game

Projected rotation

Grant Fortkamp – Guard

Braylon Dilworth – Guard

Colson Post – Guard

Dylan Klenke – Guard

Breaker Jutte – Forward

Brody Barga – Forward

Hudson Overman – Forward

Doug Bihn – Forward

Fast facts

•The Indians return 62.4% of their points from the 2024-25 season. Brody Barga, Gavin Fortkamp and Breaker Jutte, the three returning starters, accounted for 536 of the team’s 1,129 points last season.

•This will be Bob Leverette’s fourth year at the helm of the Fort Recovery program. The Tribe is 29-42 (7-22 Midwest Athletic Conference) during his tenure.

•The Indians made it back to the district finals for the first time since the 2017 season, but lost to Anna in the championship. Fort Recovery last made the regional tournament in the 2009-10 season, just one year prior to its last MAC title.

Games to watch

Saturday, Dec. 6, vs. Jay County

The Tribe fell to Jay County last season. While the Patriots will have a new look this year, this will act as a good measuring stick to see where FRHS is at.

Friday, Feb. 6, vs. Versailles

Leverette mentioned that Versailles and St. John’s will both be contenders for the MAC. Fort Recovery will play host to both late in the season on back-to-back Fridays, starting with the Tigers.

Saturday, Feb. 14, at Tri-Village

The Patriots have been a solid program and gave the Indians plenty of trouble last season. This, along with  he season finale against rival St. Henry, will be good final tests before heading into the postseason.