A string of losing seasons and frequent turnover of players have paved the way for some tough times for the Minooka High School boys' basketball program. That could change this winter.
The Indians return 10 of 12 rostered players from a year ago and half of them are incoming juniors. Of the 10, eight were listed on the summer roster at the fourth annual Tiger Shootout June 24-25, hosted by Joliet West. The two-day event was moved to Joliet Central because of a power outage at West.
The Indians are bringing back a ton of experience from a 10-19 team focused on turning the program around.
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“Our kids are doing a great job this summer,” Minooka coach Scott Tanaka said. “I think people are going to be in for a surprise next year when it comes to Minooka basketball, I really do.”
Minooka has won eight Southwest Prairie Conference games over the last four years, including two last season. However, it showed glimpses of greatness by beating then-first-place Oswego 72-53 during the first half of league play a season ago.
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Although summer won-loss records might not mean a lot to some programs, it does at Minooka and for good reason.
“Believe it or not, our summer record is very important to us,” Tanaka said. “It’s been a long time since these kids have won at Minooka at the varsity level.”
The Indians were 30-10 heading into the Morris Shootout last weekend.
“We’re 30-10 this summer and we haven’t had our big guy until (the Tiger shootout),” Tanaka said of 6-foot-4-inch rising senior Adam Reynolds, who averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists during the 2010-2011 campaign. “He makes a huge difference. He’s our leading scorer, rebounder and assist guy from last year.”
Reynolds is one of four returning double-digit scorers from a year ago. The others are incoming seniors, 6-3 Ben Heide and 6-5 Lavell Dean
and 6-2 rising junior.
“These kids were freshmen when I got to Minooka and they have bought into everything since I’ve been there,” Tanaka said. “You can see how much of a difference that makes.”
