Hillsboro 2021-22 Boys Basketball Preview: Indians want to continue to ‘push the program forward’ in 2021-22
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Last season was one that will always be remembered for the Hillsboro Indians boys basketball team, as they were co-champions of the Frontier Athletic Conference. With some important players from that team now graduated, it is time for the current roster to keep the program going in a positive direction for the 2021-22 season.
The goals are as high as they’ve always been under head coach Miles Burton, who is entering his third season at the helm of Hillsboro.
“We want to defend the FAC title we won last season, and our goal is always to win a Division II sectional championship in the Southeast District, and that will allow us to play at Ohio University at the Convo in the district tournament,” Burton said. “Our expectations is to continue to push the program forward, and I want our players to leave their environment better than they found it.”
Hillsboro has seven seniors for the 2021-22 season in Quintin Captain (guard), Canaan Griffith (forward), Jayse Middleton (guard), Ethan Parry (guard), Hunter Price (forward), Bentley Watson (center) and Spencer Wyckoff (forward).
The two juniors for the Indians are Korbin Adams (guard) and Bryce Parsons (forward). The team also has one sophomore, Stephen Kibler (guard), and one freshman, Nic Burns (guard).
During the offseason HHS has worked in the weight room on their strength and conditioning, as they have the goal of defending the FAC title they shared with Jackson last season.
“We had a great offseason. Strength and conditioning coaches Kevin Fawley and Jarred Rich have done an excellent job with our athletes in the weight room,” Burton said. “We will definitely be one of the strongest pound-for-pound teams in the area.
“We have a lot of guys who have had to ‘wait their turn’ behind the large and talented senior class that graduated last year. Those guys spent all summer at shootouts and team camp getting acclimated to the speed of the varsity game. Our seven seniors are hungry for success and doing a good job of holding our program to a high standard.”
The Indians had an 18-4 overall record in the 2020-21 season, as they were 9-1 in the FAC. Though HHS didn’t have the tournament run they wanted last season, the program last season during their championship season were in the state Division II AP rankings, had a 14-game winning streak and Burton was the District 14 Coach of the Year. HHS also had an All-Ohio selection, that being Ryan Scott, who graduated, and with him HHS loses 17.4 points per game.
As for players who are returning to the roster from the FAC championship team, Price averaged 11.9 ppg., and Captain averaged 9.1 ppg.
“Hunter Price is poised for a great senior season. Hunter was first-team All-District as a junior and is a candidate for district player of the year,” Burton said. “We are going to lean on Hunter to do it all this year, and I believe he’s up for the challenge.
“Quintin Captain is another returning multiyear starter. He will be at or near the top of most teams’ scouting reports this year because of the impact he can make on both ends of the floor. Ethan Parry battled nagging injuries last season, and I am confident he is poised for a huge year. Offensively, he’s as talented as anyone in the program.
“Jayse Middleton may be pound for pound the strongest basketball player in southeast Ohio this year. He has worked tremendously hard to transition from a forward to a guard, and it’s going to be fun to watch that work pay off.”
HHS had an excellent season in 2020-21, but this year HHS not only has to replace nine graduated players, but Burton wants his team to improve defensively.
“Last season we accomplished two of our goals (winning record for the first time in a decade and a conference championship) but fell short on our last goal of a sectional championship by one point,” Burton said. “We had nine amazing student athletes who pushed the program forward a significant amount (Ryan Scott, Lawton Parry, Brad Miller, Jakwon Clark, Coltin Hunter, Blake Tira, Jack Roades, Nick Lewis and Shane Sullivan).
“Although we made huge strides offensively last season, we took several steps back defensively. Our focus this year is to get the defense back where it needs to be and try to put the whole package together.”
Now the fun part of the season will be the competition in the FAC, because it can be a strong conference each game played. For the Indians, they will have battles with McClain, Jackson, Washington, Miami Trace and Chillicothe twice a season.
“The conference will be a grind this year. We have the mentality in our locker room that it’s ours until someone can take it from us,” Burton said. “McClain should be poised for a big year as they return several key guys, including senior Bryson Badgley, who is one of the best players in the league.
“Jackson is always tough, and I’m sure they’re not ready to part with their hardware quite yet either. It should be a great game every night in the FAC. I doubt anyone is going to be able to get through the gauntlet unscathed.”
Hillsboro’s non-conference schedule contains games with Wilmington, Clinton-Massie, Goshen, Unioto, Paint Valley, Fairland, Blanchester, Eastern, Fairfield, Clermont Northeastern, Western Brown and Lynchburg-Clay.
“Starting off against Wilmington, who up until last year we haven’t beaten in 20 years, will be a good challenge, and we have the opportunity to play perennial district contender Fairland on New Year’s Day at the Harvest Prep New Year’s Day Bash,” Burton said. “We also face a 20-plus-win Eastern Brown team with a Hall of Fame coach and a lot of pieces returning, so that’s going to be competitive game.
“We’ll be facing 2020-21 district champion Unioto on the road and tough Cincinnati-area Division I schools in Western Brown and at Goshen. Plus we have always tough county games, having to go to Lynchburg-Clay and host Fairfield. Also on our schedule are Southern Buckeye Conference schools in Blanchester, CNE and at Clinton-Massie, as well as Paint Valley (of the Scioto Valley Conference) at home.”
Hillsboro opens the 2021-22 season on Friday, Nov. 26 at home against Wilmington.
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The goals are as high as they’ve always been under head coach Miles Burton, who is entering his third season at the helm of Hillsboro.
“We want to defend the FAC title we won last season, and our goal is always to win a Division II sectional championship in the Southeast District, and that will allow us to play at Ohio University at the Convo in the district tournament,” Burton said. “Our expectations is to continue to push the program forward, and I want our players to leave their environment better than they found it.”
Hillsboro has seven seniors for the 2021-22 season in Quintin Captain (guard), Canaan Griffith (forward), Jayse Middleton (guard), Ethan Parry (guard), Hunter Price (forward), Bentley Watson (center) and Spencer Wyckoff (forward).
The two juniors for the Indians are Korbin Adams (guard) and Bryce Parsons (forward). The team also has one sophomore, Stephen Kibler (guard), and one freshman, Nic Burns (guard).
During the offseason HHS has worked in the weight room on their strength and conditioning, as they have the goal of defending the FAC title they shared with Jackson last season.
“We had a great offseason. Strength and conditioning coaches Kevin Fawley and Jarred Rich have done an excellent job with our athletes in the weight room,” Burton said. “We will definitely be one of the strongest pound-for-pound teams in the area.
“We have a lot of guys who have had to ‘wait their turn’ behind the large and talented senior class that graduated last year. Those guys spent all summer at shootouts and team camp getting acclimated to the speed of the varsity game. Our seven seniors are hungry for success and doing a good job of holding our program to a high standard.”
The Indians had an 18-4 overall record in the 2020-21 season, as they were 9-1 in the FAC. Though HHS didn’t have the tournament run they wanted last season, the program last season during their championship season were in the state Division II AP rankings, had a 14-game winning streak and Burton was the District 14 Coach of the Year. HHS also had an All-Ohio selection, that being Ryan Scott, who graduated, and with him HHS loses 17.4 points per game.
As for players who are returning to the roster from the FAC championship team, Price averaged 11.9 ppg., and Captain averaged 9.1 ppg.
“Hunter Price is poised for a great senior season. Hunter was first-team All-District as a junior and is a candidate for district player of the year,” Burton said. “We are going to lean on Hunter to do it all this year, and I believe he’s up for the challenge.
“Quintin Captain is another returning multiyear starter. He will be at or near the top of most teams’ scouting reports this year because of the impact he can make on both ends of the floor. Ethan Parry battled nagging injuries last season, and I am confident he is poised for a huge year. Offensively, he’s as talented as anyone in the program.
“Jayse Middleton may be pound for pound the strongest basketball player in southeast Ohio this year. He has worked tremendously hard to transition from a forward to a guard, and it’s going to be fun to watch that work pay off.”
HHS had an excellent season in 2020-21, but this year HHS not only has to replace nine graduated players, but Burton wants his team to improve defensively.
“Last season we accomplished two of our goals (winning record for the first time in a decade and a conference championship) but fell short on our last goal of a sectional championship by one point,” Burton said. “We had nine amazing student athletes who pushed the program forward a significant amount (Ryan Scott, Lawton Parry, Brad Miller, Jakwon Clark, Coltin Hunter, Blake Tira, Jack Roades, Nick Lewis and Shane Sullivan).
“Although we made huge strides offensively last season, we took several steps back defensively. Our focus this year is to get the defense back where it needs to be and try to put the whole package together.”
Now the fun part of the season will be the competition in the FAC, because it can be a strong conference each game played. For the Indians, they will have battles with McClain, Jackson, Washington, Miami Trace and Chillicothe twice a season.
“The conference will be a grind this year. We have the mentality in our locker room that it’s ours until someone can take it from us,” Burton said. “McClain should be poised for a big year as they return several key guys, including senior Bryson Badgley, who is one of the best players in the league.
“Jackson is always tough, and I’m sure they’re not ready to part with their hardware quite yet either. It should be a great game every night in the FAC. I doubt anyone is going to be able to get through the gauntlet unscathed.”
Hillsboro’s non-conference schedule contains games with Wilmington, Clinton-Massie, Goshen, Unioto, Paint Valley, Fairland, Blanchester, Eastern, Fairfield, Clermont Northeastern, Western Brown and Lynchburg-Clay.
“Starting off against Wilmington, who up until last year we haven’t beaten in 20 years, will be a good challenge, and we have the opportunity to play perennial district contender Fairland on New Year’s Day at the Harvest Prep New Year’s Day Bash,” Burton said. “We also face a 20-plus-win Eastern Brown team with a Hall of Fame coach and a lot of pieces returning, so that’s going to be competitive game.
“We’ll be facing 2020-21 district champion Unioto on the road and tough Cincinnati-area Division I schools in Western Brown and at Goshen. Plus we have always tough county games, having to go to Lynchburg-Clay and host Fairfield. Also on our schedule are Southern Buckeye Conference schools in Blanchester, CNE and at Clinton-Massie, as well as Paint Valley (of the Scioto Valley Conference) at home.”
Hillsboro opens the 2021-22 season on Friday, Nov. 26 at home against Wilmington.
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