DANVILLE – The Danville boys basketball team brings back most of its roster in 2020— a year older, a year stronger and a year smarter.
While coach Matt Moore figures out what to do with many of the pieces, he will build them around a pair of juniors. Darren Mickley and Wyatt Weckesser return from last year’s team that went 3-22 overall and 2-13 in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference before falling to Grandview Heights 72-32 in the first round of the Division IV district tournament.
Mickley is the Blue Devils’ best shooter from three-point range. He is also their most reliable foul shooter.
“Those guys have played since they were freshmen,” Moore told the Mount Vernon News. “I'm looking for a lot out of those two especially. They're the ones with the most experience. Junior Cam Miller had to sit out (part) of the last season for transfer reasons. He was with Highland last year. So he will be with us for the full season this year. He's just a very athletic kid who can handle the ball pretty well. He's been working on his game in the offseason as well.”
Moore will have four sophomores on his varsity squad. Two of them— Aaron Mezie and Levi Lyons— are forwards. They are also part of the football team and expected to be very physical players.
“They do a lot of great things offensively and defensively with the basketball,” Moore said. “Levi is more of a center and holds down the middle for us.”
Moore’s other two sophomores are Spencer Payne and Max Payne.
“Spencer is a really good shooter and a solid guard,” Moore said. “He’s expected to come up with some 3-pointers.
“Max came on later in the season. Both got bigger and stronger, as just about everybody on the team has. I expect all of those sophomores to get a lot of playing time this year.”
The Blue Devils also have a pair of seniors in John Hostetler and Logan Neitzelt.
“Hostetler didn't play last year but did play his sophomore year,” Moore said. “He's a high-energy guy and he'll sprint every time he's on the floor. He'll give you everything he has when he's playing.
“Logan played a little last year, but not a ton. He's worked very hard in the offseason and has improved a lot.”
Danville will have a point guard by committee. Miller, Spencer Payne or Max Payne will run the point at different times, taking advantage of the talents of a variety of players who can handle the basketball.
Whichever lineup Moore puts on the floor, he is looking to do more than just score. The Devils are capable of eating up a lot of clock. They can run the fast break or they can go slow.
“We’re trying to get the best ‘we’ shot we can and not the best ‘me’ shot,” Moore said.
In the post, expect the Blue Devils to rotate Lyons, Mickley, Hostetler, Neitzelt or Kendall Carter. It will be the ones who work the hardest that will get the most playing time.
“In the offseason, we really have been working together, and it's kind of translated into the season,” Mickley said. “We went to some preseason workouts and played some scrimmages against each other.”
Perhaps the hard work is paying off for the Blue Devils.
“Our ball movement and ball-handling is a lot better than it was last year,” Mickley said. “We'll be able to run an offense and get better shots than we did last year. Between now and our first tip-off, I hope our defense gets better and more consistent.”
