By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Lebanon welcomes a new face into the fold this season as head coach Ryan Toombs takes over the program.
The Yellowjackets struggled last season and finished with a 2-21 record before falling to Parkview in the district opener.
A pair of graduated seniors move on from the team in Caleb Falzone and Josh Napper.
Toombs will look to quickly rebuild and develop chemistry among his new team.
“The culture among our student-athletes at Lebanon, specifically the way they embrace the importance of training, has been refreshing,” Toombs said. “Our kids are competitive and are looking forward to the upcoming season. We all understand that for us to get better, we must be committed to giving great effort in all aspects of life.”
A pair of seniors will lead the Yellowjackets along the front line this season in Tristan Wilson and Bennett Schnitzer
Wilson, a 6-foot-5 forward, averaged 5 points and 3.7 rebounds last season. He has committed to play offensive line at the University of Missouri next fall.
“Tristan has great footwork and is incredibly athletic,” Toombs said. “That athleticism and physicality makes us a lot tougher on the interior.”
At 6-foot-4, Schnitzer gives Lebanon additional size in the paint. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds last season.
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“Bennett has a high basketball IQ and sees the floor well as a big man,” Toombs said. “We are excited to have him back for his senior year.”
Additional returnees include 6-foot junior Austin Hendrix, 5-foot-11 junior Matthew Archer and 5-foot-11 sophomore Caleb Ray.
The Yellowjacket roster will also feature a host of varsity newcomers in Peyton Mitchell (SR), Isaiah Anderson (SR), Ian Carr (SR), Kole Eden (SR), Evan Webb (JR) and Wyatt Carr (SO).
With so many new faces in new roles, Toombs expects defense and ball control to be primary focuses this season.
“We will be a team that focuses on defensive discipline and valuing possession of the basketball,” Toombs said. “We want to gain advantages in ways other than relying on our athletic ability, because every team we face will have great athletes. It is important that we do the little things right in order to be competitive.”
Following a Nov. 16 jamboree with Rolla and Sparta, Lebanon opens its season at Branson Nov. 23.
