LUCAS — It’s not where Taylor Iceman wants it to be yet, but after nearly a decade of futility the Lucas basketball program is trending in the right direction.
The Cubs are 10-3 going into Saturday’s Mid-Buckeye Conference game at Loudonville. After going 14-10 last year, Iceman’s second in charge of his alma mater, Lucas is on the verge of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since Todd Krill piloted the program to three straight winning seasons from 1998-99 to 2000-01.
“We talk all the time about changing the culture,” Iceman said. “Last year’s team pointed us in the right direction and this year’s team has built upon it.”
Before last season, the last time Lucas finished above .500 was 2006-07. The Cubs won their tournament opener against Sandusky St. Mary before falling to Colonel Crawford in the sectional championship game. The sectional semifinal victory was Lucas’ first postseason win since 2009-10 season.
Iceman lost 11 seniors to graduation, including leading scorers Dylan Dennison and Josh Murphy. This year’s roster includes just four seniors and three returning lettermen.
Lucas doesn’t have much height, so Iceman often employs a five-guard set led by seniors and two-year lettermen Brian Sauder and Jackson Hauger.
“In years past it’s been a couple ball-handlers and (opponents) would get up and press us,” Sauder said. “It’s nice to have five guards who can handle the ball and handle the pressure.
“Any time we start to get fatigued, we can give the ball to one of those other guys and they can get the job done.”
The Cubs’ stingy defense is at least partly responsible for the fast start this year. Lucas has limited eight of its 13 opponents to 55 or fewer points and is 7-1 in those games.
“Defensively, we do a really good job of helping. With our size, we can’t just rely on one guy to defend,” Iceman said after last week’s win over Danville. “Our guys do a good job of locating shooters and getting a hand up. Then we box out and close out possessions.”
The schedule gets increasingly difficult for the Cubs in the coming week. After visiting Loudonville on Friday, Lucas hosts state-ranked Northmor on Feb. 6 before welcoming Division IV No. 1 St. Peter’s to the Cub Cave on Feb. 9. Division II Clear Fork (13-3) visits the following night.
Lucas could be in line for a reasonably high seed in the Division IV Willard district tournament draw.
“These kids are working hard and they are being rewarded,” Iceman said. “It’s something you talk about all the time but for them to see it, that is the important thing.”
