Wheaton boys basketball has a new head coach in Brian Wilde. He spent three years as an assistant at Glendale.
“Wheaton loves its basketball. I’m very fortunate to come to a place that has a lot of passion for the game,” Wilde said. “The players are gym rats, and the fans will follow us everywhere. I’m excited for the season to begin and to be a part of a great town and school district.”
He takes over a team that finished 12-11 last season.
All-conference selection Kelton Park will be the team’s leader after he averaged 9.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assist per game as a junior.
“Kelton Park will be our unquestioned leader this year,” Wilde said. “His three years of varsity experience and his ability to lead by example will be key to getting our inexperienced players acclimated to the varsity game. He is a great ball handler and decision maker on the court. He can get to the rim at will and finish in multiple ways.”
Sophomore guard/forward Wyatt Gorman returns after seeing varsity action as a freshman.
“Wyatt Gorman got to play in most of the varsity contests last season. That experience will be crucial for him this year. Wyatt brings a great worth ethic and toughness every time he is on the floor. He is a skilled player because he can finish very well at the rim and keeps defenses honest with his jump shot. I expect Wyatt to have a big impact on the team this year.
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Zane Johnson (senior guard), Trenton Imel (junior forward), Raydin Smart (junior forward), Fernando Gonzalez (sophomore guard), Michael Hang (sophomore guard) and Blake Morgan (sophomore guard) will be newcomers to the varsity team this year.
Wilde on Johnson: “Zane Johnson will give us great senior leadership because of the way he leads by example. Zane is the best shooter on the team and I’m looking forward to him showing his skill set at the varsity level.”
Wilde on Imel: “Trenton Imel is a great hustle player and rebounder. He gives the team positive energy when he is on the court.”
Wilde on Smart: “Raydin Smart gives us good size and length on the court with the ability the also an outside jumper.”
Wilde on Gonzalez: “Fernando Gonzalez is a great defender because of his effort and athleticism. His ball pressure and ability to read passing lanes will anchor our defense.”
Wilde on Hang: “Michael Hang does a great job handling the basketball. He also is a very active defender and a creative finisher.”
Wilde on Morgan: “Blake Morgan is a good shooter who is starting to develop into a really good all-around player.”
Wilde will look for his team to hang their hat on the defensive end while focusing on taking care of the ball on the offensive end.
“Defense will be the key to our success this year. We have a lot of speed and athleticism to throw at teams. If the players buy in, our defensive pressure will give opponents fits every night,” Wilde said. “Not turning the ball over and rebounding the basketball. These guys love to play fast which can lead to them being out of control and giving the other team the ball. We can have a really good offensive unit if we limit our turnovers.”
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Wheaton opens the season Nov. 20-24 at the Verona Tournament.
“I expect us to be competitive in most if not all of our games this year. Our youth will need to step up in a big way to translate our more difficult games into wins. This group is fully capable of doing that, but with our lack of varsity experience there are is a lot that is unknown at this point, but the potential is there to have a successful year,” Wilde said. “We will be a team defined by our effort and toughness. Our style of play may vary from opponent to opponent, but those two things will always be there.”
