Boys basketball preview: Rebounding will be key for Ottawa in 2024-25

When talking to Ottawa boys basketball coach Mark Cooper about some of the things he feels are going to be important to the 2024-25 version of the Pirates being successful, he feels one aspect of the game may outweigh many of the others.

“We are going to have to rebound, and rebound well,” said Cooper, the all-time winningest boys basketball coach in program history (333-203) as he begins his 21st season. “We have a blueprint how and a way we do things, and while it may get tweaked from season to season, it doesn’t change a whole bunch. Will we do things a little differently than last year? Sure. Is what we do going to look that much different? No.

“As a coach you have to adjust to the kids you have every season, but I feel the biggest keys to any team being successful is you have to rebound well, defend well and take care of the ball. For us – with us lacking overall height – keeping our opponents in check off the boards is going to be a huge key.”

Ottawa finished last season 12-15 overall and 3-7 in the tough Interstate 8 Conference. Just over 30% of the scoring and rebounding graduated with Times All-Area second-team selection Cooper Knoll (13.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg).

Back is a solid group of seniors who as juniors saw significant minutes. Senior 5-10 guard Evan Snook averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds last season while leading the team in assists (64) and finishing third in steals (28). While 6-3 forward Aric Threadgill netted 6.6 points and grabbed 3.4 rebounds per outing.

Cooper will also have seniors Connor Diederich (5-11), Kyler Araujo (6-0), Deklan Gage (5-11) and Seth Cooper (6-3) to help lead the way.

“[Evan and Aric] both played a large number of minutes for us last year, and we are expecting them to be the stabilizing force on the floor for us early on,” Cooper said. “It may take the other kids a little while to become comfortable playing varsity basketball, so both of those guys are going to have a lot asked of them. That leadership may not even be in a statistical way, but more so keeping us playing at a comfortable pace.

“We are going to have to try and figure out – especially at our opening tournament and early in the season – what we are as a basketball team and what is going to allow us to have the most success. Like in many of the past seasons, our seniors are going to have an impact in that aspect.”

The Ottawa roster also features juniors Colt Bryson (5-10), Hezekiah Joachim (5-10), Dom Parks (6-0), Owen Sanders (6-7), Lucas Farabaugh (5-10); sophomore Jack Carroll (6-0); and freshman Blake Schiltz (6-0).

“I feel like our kids had a really good offseason,” Coach Cooper said. “We had a number of kids that have worked very hard to improve their skill level. We’ve had a good week and a half of practices and are exciting to get things going with games starting Monday.

“In many seasons, the juniors have sometimes had to serve a little bit of an apprenticeship role, then as a senior find a role to help the team. I think all six of our seniors, while they may not exactly know what that role is yet, are all striving to find that role and will do a tremendous job in whatever it ends up being.”

Ottawa begins pool play in its own Dean Riley “Shootin’ The Rock” Tournament at 6:30 p.m. Monday in historic Kingman Gym, taking on Pontiac before challenging Plano at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and finally Sterling at 7 p.m. Friday. The placement games will be played Saturday, Nov. 30.

“Our Thanksgiving tournament, playing some really good teams right off the jump, is the first step in not only beginning to find that identity, but also what combinations work well,” Coach Cooper said. “We find out who is capable of doing what and what some of our strengths and weaknesses are.”