Boys basketball preview: Despite big graduation losses, Streator features 4 returning starters in 2024-25

Pretty much every Illinois Valley high school sports fan – and especially every scheduled Streator opponent – is well aware of who’s not going to be on the Bulldogs rosters during this 2024-25 school year.

As for who is on the roster, well, the cupboard is far from bare this winter for a Streator boys basketball team coming off a 23-9 season.

In his 16th year, head coach Beau Doty, who holds a 237-181 career record, returns three of his past starters, welcomes one of Ottawa’s into the program and appears to have a roster loaded with competitive depth when the Bulldogs open the season Monday in Ottawa’s Dean Riley “Shootin’ The Rock” Thanksgiving Tournament.

“Look, you lose as deep of a senior class as we had, you’d think [the cupboard] would be [bare],” Doty said, “but in reality, we’re blessed with back-to-back deep classes who have played. And even the guys who haven’t gotten much playing time last year we feel can play.”

Lost to graduation are all-everything point guard Christian Benning and last year’s second- and third-leading scorers, Logan Aukland and Quinn Baker. Back, however, and eager to step into leading roles are a number of seniors who were starters either last season, during the 2022-23 season or at a certain rival high school just up Route 23.

Isaiah Weibel (4.5 points, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals per game in 2023-24) and Matt Williamson (2.1 ppg) are both battle-proven, shutdown defenders with unrealized-to-this-point perimeter scoring ability. Tristan Finley (4 ppg, 1.4 apg) joins the program after starting 13 games and playing in all 27 last winter for Ottawa. And Nolan Lukach (5 ppg, 4 rpg), a starter his sophomore season who came off the bench to split time in the post last season, is back and should be a load for opponents.

“You’ve got a lot of seniors who have a lot of game experience ... and they want to carve their own path,” Doty said.

Beyond those four proven commodities, however, the Bulldogs feature an intriguing mix of experienced returners and talented newcomers.

Seniors such as Blaize Bressner (0.4 ppg) and Nolan Ketcham (1 ppg) have substantial varsity floor time and are competing for larger roles, with fellow senior Jake Hagie rejoining and another Ottawa transfer, senior Adrian Phalen, joining the program and expected to earn opportunities. Juniors Riley Stevens, L.A. Moton, Clay Christoff and Joe Hoekstra move up, and the opening night roster also includes a pair of 6-1 sophomores Doty believes can contribute at the varsity level – Colin Byers and Brennen Stillwell.

“It’s a competition for a lot of guys,” Doty said when asked about his fifth starting spot and main rotation. “We have four guys established in those roles who know what the expectations are to start at the varsity level, and the other side, it’s a big competition – this week and maybe throughout the season.”

Streator will be aiming to run its streak of consecutive winning seasons to six and make it nine winning campaigns in its last 11 while also regaining an Illinois Central Eight Conference championship won by Manteno last winter. And as always, getting into position to pocket the program’s first regional title since 2015 has to be a goal.

“I think on our roster those things exist,” Doty said. “There is a championship team there. It’s just a matter of having the improvement stamina for us to grow and build.

“Basketball, like any season, is about peaking at the right time, but we want to start fast. We want to have a successful tournament and then get rolling into our conference slate.”

The Bulldogs open the “Shootin’ The Rock” tournament at 8 p.m. Monday against La Salle-Peru, following up with pool-play games Friday against Princeton and Oak Forest. Streator’s 2024-25 home opener at Pops Dale Gymnasium is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13, against Coal City.