Stoecklein hopes for increased aggressiveness

DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
The 2015-2016 Maryville boys’ basketball team roster includes: Front row, from left: Tomas Coalson, Creid Stoecklein, Will Walker, Trey Oglesby, Eli Dowis, Zach Patton, Matthew Madden. Middle: John Zimmerman, Corby Roush, Tyler Houchin, Quentin Ternus, Alex Bean, Peter Kempf. Back: Jackson Golightly, Brady Atwell, Trystan Lyle, Chip Dunlap, Jalen Sundell, Jakob Gray, Jake Woods, Spencer Morrison.

With a solid foundation of returners ready to return to the court this season, the Maryville boys’ basketball team has high hopes for success.

The Spoofhounds return eight varsity players, including four starters, from a team that went 13-13 in 2014-2015 with a 3-4 Midland Empire Conference record.

Maryville’s four starters include senior Chip Dunlap, who averaged 3.8 points per game and four rebounds, along with juniors Trey Oglesby, John Zimmerman, and Spencer Morrison. Oglesby averaged 6.7 points per night last season, while Zimmerman and Morrison averaged five and 5.8, respectively.

“We want to become more aggressive on offense and defense,” head coach Matt Stoecklein said. “We want to impose our will on both ends of the court. We are returning a lot of players with varsity experience and we will have a very deep bench.”

Stoecklein is assisted by Grant Hageman and Nic Mattson, a crew that enters its second year guiding Maryville.

Stoecklein described the MEC as “a very tough conference” but said he believes the Spoofhounds could finish toward the top of the league.

Maryville begins its 2015-2016 campaign in the Savannah Tournament on Nov. 30.

“We believe we will be very competitive this year and feel like we should be competing for a district title this year,” Stoecklein said. “We are a very long and athletic team that can also shoot very well from the outside. We are very excited about the upcoming season.”