By Chris Parker
Dadeville boys basketball had one of the best season’s in program history last season by advancing to the program’s fourth ever final four. The Bearcats finished fourth in Class 1 with a 22-11 record.
The Bearcats will have to replace one of the area’s best players in all-state selection Aidan Jarman.
“Aidan was one of those rare players that impacted every aspect of the game while he was on the floor,” Dadeville head coach Curtis Collins said. “We had a great four-year run with him on the team, capping it off with a Final Four berth last season. His impact on the work ethic of our team is still something that will remain with our returning payers as they enter this season.”
Chayse Coose returns after earning second-team all-conference honors last season as a sophomore. Coose averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
“Chayse has stepped up in the offseason and become a go-to guy for us and an anchor for our rebounding on both ends. His role will continue to expand as his game grows,” Collins said. “Chayse is a natural elite rebounder on both ends of the court, which creates a lot of second-chance points for us and limits attempts for the opposing team.”
Kaleb Getman (senior guard), Briar Clift (sophomore forward), Aiden McGill (sophomore point guard), Gavin Orr (senior guard), Josh King (junior guard), Wriston Worthington (sophomore forward) and Rowan Schedler (senior guard) also return for Dadeville.
Collins on Getman: “Kaleb is a veteran guard who spreads the floor with his shooting and creates plays for us off of the dribble. He will be a valuable part of our team as an experienced leader and a winning player.”
Collins on Clift: “Briar gained valuable experience last year as a defensive disrupter off the bench. He has now refined the offensive side of his game and improved his three-point shot. I think he will be a big part of what we do on both ends.”
Collins on McGill: “Aiden has put a lot of work in over the offseason to improve his game and ready himself for a much larger role as a primary ball handler. With our deep run last year, he gained much-needed experience and is ready to step up.”
Collins on Orr: “Gavin is a natural three-point shooter who is ready to step into a larger varsity role this year and show his skills as a floor spacer. He has elite shooting abilities that will be a big weapon for us.”
Collins on King: “Josh is an experienced player who brings ball handling and playmaking with his passing vision. He will be an important piece of our depth and versatility with what he brings to the table.”
Collins on Worthington: “Wriston is a quick inside player with a good touch on his shot and passes. He can step in and play multiple positions for us and will be ready to contribute at the varsity level.”
Collins on Schedler: “Rowan is a veteran leader for us who will provide a steady presence as we navigate the season with a team that has a lot of young players.”
Ashton Edwards, Peyton Crawford and Brittan Jarman are freshmen who will look for varsity minutes. Senior Lain Tevis is new to basketball but brings great size to the court.
“Our biggest strength as a team for the past few seasons has always been our defense and ability to win rebounding battles,” Collins said. “These two things will be what give us the chance to compete at a high level and will determine how our season plays out.”
Dadeville opens the season on Nov. 22 at home against Sheldon.
“Our identity is and always will be our defense and effort,” Collins said. “We want to be one of the top defensive teams in the conference and give ourselves a chance to win on nights that we may not be having the best offensive games. We look for players who are willing to do the dirty work and take pride in areas other than scoring. If we focus on those core principles we will live with the results of our work.”
