Margaretta has tough act to follow

PERKINS TWP. — When something happens for the first time in 90 years, it's tough to follow it up. At Margaretta, the concern isn't with trying to outdo the school's first boys basketball district champion since 1932. The Polar Bears just want to get better, and they showed some promise with a 3-2 record at the Battle 4 The Bay tournament at Cedar Point Sports Center earlier this week. "This June has been really good for us," Margaretta coach Steve Keller said. "I like where we're at, but we've got a ways to go." Margaretta has to replace three starters. Jake Leibacher departed to play at Lake Erie College after becoming the program's all-time leading scorer. Ben Palomo and Nathan Schaefer were both key components for three years on Keller's squad, and reserve Mason Miller also graduated. Keller hopes guard Cameron Sosa can propel Margaretta's upcoming team forward. Sosa started as a junior but will have a much bigger role in all facets in 2022-23. At Battle 4 The Bay, Sosa showed an ability to get to his pull-up jumper whenever he wanted. He already had multiple 3-point outbursts as a junior and showed a keen eye for distributing. "Cameron has stepped into being the guy very well," Keller said. Lefty forward Hayden Wiley is the other returning starter. His size will be crucial on a Polar Bears team without much of it, and Wiley knows how to play as an undersized 5. Against Brecksville on Wednesday night, Wiley was guarded by a much taller player, so he stepped outside the arc to knock down multiple 3-pointers. When his defender closed down, Wiley finished on a strong drive to the rim. Other returners who saw varsity minutes a season ago include Gage Bodey, Colson Biehl and Evan Miller. "Guys are stepping into new roles," Keller said. "... We're playing some guys that haven't had a ton of varsity time or any varsity time." Among the newcomers, Keller's son Judah could play a big part as early as this winter as a freshman. Judah possesses a solid build that allowed him to finish inside at the Battle 4 The Bay tournament while also having enough handle and shooting touch to excel on the perimeter. On one play against Brecksville, Judah pushed the ball in half-transition, crossed over right to left, pulled up from the left elbow, took contact on his hip and still made the jumper for the and-1. Judah Keller and-1 on the jumper pic.twitter.com/kbKVAhjnq0 — Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) June 22, 2022 Margaretta couldn't beat defending tournament champion Brecksville on Wednesday night, though. The Polar Bears had defeated Upper Scioto Valley earlier in the day on a sudden-death overtime free throw by Bodey. "Hey, summer time is summer time, but any time you can win a close game, it certainly helps with confidence," Keller said. "Our guys like to compete, so they battled." Margaretta started strong Thursday, too, knocking off Division I Elyria, 40-36. The Polar Bears then fell to Patrick Henry, 46-33. They'll come back with a bit more summer action Tuesday night in the summer league they host. Margaretta is the No. 2 seed in the playoff-like final week structure. For a team trying to make its own mark, any chance to compete in games that matter, even a little, can only make the Polar Bears better. "I'm very pleased with our progression," Keller said. "We've just got to keep working, keep trying to get better."