Following the conclusion of Joplin’s season a year ago, Jeff Hafer stepped down as head coach because of health reasons. The good news for first-year head coach Bronson Schaake is the cupboard is far from empty as he takes over the talent-rich Eagles with the expectations of elevating them to the next level under his watch.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Schaake said about being the Joplin head coach. “You look around and see the facilities and the weights program, we have some kids who can do some amazing things athletically. Coming over from Riverton was a great opportunity.”
Schaake is tasked with improving upon the Eagles’ 13-14 record from a season ago. And that goal is certainly attainable with the level of talent returning to the fold. Schaake’s latest stop at Riverton High School, in Kansas, is a testament to his ability to build a reshape a program, taking over a struggling Rams team in 2016 before leading them to a 14-5 record last season while earning finalist consideration for Kansas Class 3A Coach of the Year.
“There are some things I couldn’t do at Riverton as far as a few sets here and there and a few pressing types of things,” Schaake said when asked what he would bring to Joplin basketball. “Overall, I am going to have the same approach, the same philosophy here in Joplin. It will be built around discipline and fundamentals. I think that carries anywhere you go.”
Joplin’s list of returning players is highlighted by senior 6-foot-3 guard Always Wright, 6-2 sophomore G All Wright, 6-4 junior F Terrance Gibson, 6-3 senior F LT Atherton, 6-1 senior G Bruce Wilbert and 6-7 sophomore Whit Hafer, who is back after suffering a leg injury early last season.
“I think our guards, the Wright boys, are really good,” Schaake said about his team’s strengths. “I think we are actually going to be a team that can get the ball down low once we settle in and get our legs back. I think we can do a lot. I think we can go inside out, and I think we can get the Wrights around the bucket a little bit more. We just need to be harder to guard.”
And while the offense is expected to be a strongpoint, Coach Schaake also believes Joplin can be a team built around defense as well. With the amount of size and athleticism on the Eagles’ roster, playing quality basketball on both ends of the floor is not a stretch by any means.
“I think we have to become a really good defensive team,” Schaake said. “I think we can score when we get in better shape and get some continuity with each other. But I think we can be a really good defensive team. We can throw some bigs out there and the Wrights are both 6-2, 6-3. We can be a good defensive team once we hone in.”
“We can throw some different lineups out there,” Schaake added. “We can go big and we can go small. We like to do a four-out motion type of offense and then more of a structured one where we can get the ball side to side with the continuity screen and roll.”
Last season, Joplin got off to a fast start, opening the year winning 10 of its first 14 games. Unfortunately, the Eagles sputtered down the stretch by losing nine of the last 11. In order to avoid that type of letdown this season, Schaake wants to see his boys improve in the mental side of the game as well.
“Right now it’s getting in shape,” Schaake said with a laugh. “Other than that, I think we need a little tougher mentality between the ears. Not all of them, but there are some guys in the rotation who have to get tougher with that, and that just comes with getting in better shape and getting a hold of them every day in practice.”
Joplin opens the season on the road at McDonald County with a 7:30 p.m. scheduled tip on Tuesday.
