With a jamboree scheduled for early December, preseason practices are in full swing for the Wakefield boys basketball team.
There will be 19 out for Trojan boys basketball which is slightly up from last year’s 15 thanks to six freshmen joining the program.
Austin Galles will be entering his second year leading the Wakefield boys basketball team but will be in his 15th overall year with the program.
Coach Galles said he likes the competition through practice and conditioning so far.
“We have a handful of guys that are just competing every single day in practice because they’re wanting that spot, they’re wanting that playing time,” said Galles. “Kind of the depth we have especially when we get Jacob Borg back we should have seven or eight guys that I definitely feel comfortable with throwing out on that varsity floor.”
Joining coach Galles will be Colton McCreary and Brent Schmidt returning from last year.
Four seniors graduated from last year’s team while the freshmen numbers along with a few others who have played in the past are back on the team.
Joaquin Chavez, Timothy Kaufman and Jesse Lundahl are the seniors for 2024-25.
The returning juniors will be the leading scorers from last year being Cael Johnson with 12.5 ppg and 7.6 rebounds per game along with Jacob Borg with 11.2 points per game and 2.2 assists per game. Both averaged 1.9 steals per game.
Coach Galles added more on some off-season injuries for the two.
“Cael had surgery end of the summer/beginning of football season, “Galles added. “Kind of came back midway through football season and I think he’s ready to go. Jacob Borg blew his knee out it would have been first game of the football season. Then I think immediately had surgery; has been rehabbing. We won’t have him at the beginning of the season but I want to say pretty close to Christmas time we’re hoping that everything looks good and that he should be cleared.”
Starting experience returning will be Lundahl, Johnson and Borg. Others being highlighted were Chavez, Kaufman and junior Jacob Birkley.
Coach Galles mentioned the Wakefield boys have a handful of guys that can possibly get some playing time this year.
“Just trying to work them in and getting feel for,” Galles mentioned. “That’s a great thing about Plainview because of the quality of team, we’re really going to be able see what some of these guys can do. It’s one thing to come to practice and you’re playing against guys you know, but when you face a quality team like Plainview, our eyes are going to be open to what kids actually deserve to be out there and can play.”
Last year, the Trojans finished 10-13.
The Wakefield boys basketball team will open the 2024-25 season on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Pender. Girls competition will open around 6:30 p.m. followed by the boys game.
Coach Galles said the team will be sharpening up some plays and working on their defense.
“Kind of the little things,” said Galles. “Setting good screens, getting box outs. Pender kind of returns a team that’s pretty darn good too. I think they’ve had kids that have been playing some good varsity minutes since they were freshmen and sophomores. So, they probably have it as far as experience goes. So, it’s just kind of doing those little things that hopefully will add up and let us compete with them in the end and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Home opening competition for Wakefield boys basketball will be on Saturday, Dec. 7 with Howells-Dodge in town starting with girls action at 3:15 p.m. followed by the boys game.
