2023-24 Fairfield Lions Boys Basketball Preview

The first season under head coach Quentin Williams was a season that nobody will soon forget, as it was one of the most historic seasons in program history.

The Lions of last season (2022-23) were undefeated in the regular season at 22-0 and were Division IV district runners-up for a fourth consecutive season, finishing with an overall record of 24-1, and they were 13-0 in Division I of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference.

Last season, the Lions averaged 59 points per game and 31.3 rebounds per game as a team.

Since the district final loss to the Franklin Furnace Green Bobcats, the focus has been on what is about to happen … the 2023-24 basketball season, and the Lions have a solid group returning to defend their SHAC championship from a season ago.

Returning to the starting lineup from various times last season for Fairfield are four seniors, and they are guard Trey House, point guard Larkin Friend, guard Gabe Fouch and forward/guard Cade Miller.

In ’22-23, House averaged 7.3 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game and 1.2 steals per game. House had seven games of scoring double figures, including the final five regular-season games and the district semifinal win over Western Latham, where he scored 15 points.

Friend is coming off a season where he averaged 8.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 6.6 assists per game, and he shot 54.6 percent from the field as he had eight games of scoring at least 10 points, including a season-high 18 points against Hillsboro. He was All-SHAC and third-team OPSWA All-District as a junior.

Also on the roster this season will be senior guard Britton Campbell and senior guard Janre Lerio.

Juniors for the Lions are forward/guard Logan McIntosh, forward Chase Newman and guard Dane Hodson.

Freshmen for Fairfield are guard Brody Smith, guard/forward Griffin Friend and guard Caleb Barrera. Fairfield has no sophomores on the varsity roster.

Williams – the 2022-23 Southern Hills Athletic Conference and OPSWA Division IV SE District Coach of the Year – spoke about his roster and returning players.

“Gabe Fouch, Larkin Friend, Trey House and Cade Miller are returning in my rotation,” he said. “Larkin started every game. Other than that, each of these other three players started different games and times.

“It is hard to talk about just a few kids with the unselfish style of basketball that we play, but Larkin Friend – a third-team All-District selection – returns as our starting point guard, and I expect him to control our pace of play and everything we do.

“Trey House is an aggressive scorer and defender, and I expect him to be a catalyst on both ends of the floor with his play and energy,” Williams continued. “Cade Miller, I expect to be a vocal leader on both ends of the floor and use him in many different ways. I call him my Swiss Army knife because he can do so many things well.”

Williams continued to talk about his players and what they bring to the court.

“I expect Gabe Fouch to fill in his role that he did for us toward the end of last year, typically guarding the other team’s best offensive threat, but be more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor and take a step further on being a vocal leader,” he said. “Logan McIntosh did not receive a lot of playing time last year on varsity, but I expect him to be a primary decision maker and to have a breakout year for us with his length, skill and versatility he brings to the floor.

“Janre Lerio is a spark of energy, and I expect him to help control the pace of the game and make the players around him better offensively and defensively. Chase Newman, I expect to help control the paint on both ends and utilize his screening and finishing ability and vocal leadership that he brings to the floor.”

Fairfield lost two of their top players from their undefeated regular-season team, those being TJ Mootz (first-team Coaches and OPSWA All-District, special mention All-Ohio selection) and Wyatt Collins (third-team OPSWA and honorable mention Coaches All-District). Mootz averaged 14.4 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game, and Collins averaged 7.1 ppg and 2.9 rpg. Also graduated is Gunner Bennington, who contributed 5.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg.

This year’s offseason has been different, not because of all the success had by Fairfield last year, but this the first year Williams has had a full offseason with his team, which makes a difference as the Lions are working to replace nearly 28 points per game and almost 16 rebounds per game lost to graduation among three players.

“Last season I did not get a full offseason with the kids, so this full offseason allowed me to really diagnose what areas we needed to focus on and progress individually for each kid and as a group in whole,” Williams said. “We spent a lot of time together. I saw a lot of development in understanding the game and the principles that we teach as the offseason progressed. We worked extremely hard this offseason in the weight room, becoming stronger, more mobile and more explosive as well.”

With that work has come improvements, whether that comes in practice or during preseason scrimmages.

“I have seen a lot of overall improvement physically and mentally because of their dedication individually and as a group from last spring until now,” Williams said. “They work extremely hard, are all very coachable and eager to continue to learn and improve.

“The main thing I want us to continue to improve on is sustainable communication and having a next-play mentality when things do not go our way.”

With Williams describing his team in three words … “Gritty, Hunger, Together,” the Lions aren’t resting on their laurels and success of last season. Though that was a great and historic season, the Lions are looking forward to adding to that success.

“My expectations are to take every day one day at a time and win that day. Not look too far ahead or behind,” Williams said. “That will help us to compete for a (SHAC) title and to make it back to the district championship and win at the Convocation Center.”

Speaking of the SHAC, what the Lions did last season by going undefeated in conference play at 13-0 isn’t an easy task, or one that occurs every season, and Williams knows this year won’t be any easier, as he spoke about the conference for the ’23-24 season.

“I have tremendous respect for all the coaches in the SHAC, and what all they do for the kids in our area,” Williams said. “The coaches of our league voted North Adams and Eastern to finish atop the big league, and Fayetteville and us to finish atop the small league. I look forward to seeing and competing against all the players and coaches.”

Fairfield in non-conference games this season will be facing the following schedule: at East Clinton, vs. Cedarville, vs. Federal Hocking (at Alexander), at Paint Valley, vs. Western (Chad Hodson Classic), vs. Southeastern, at McClain, at Hillsboro and vs. Miami Trace.

“Our non-conference schedule is tough as always, as we typically schedule up and play bigger schools such as Miami Trace, McClain, Hillsboro, etc. to help us prepare for tournaments and the physical play it demands of you,” Williams said.

The Lions open their 2023-24 season on Friday, Dec. 1 at home (Grandle Gymnasium) against the Manchester Greyhounds in SHAC action.