Margaretta has talent, track record

CASTALIA — Margaretta's boys basketball team is flying high. The Polar Bears return most of the key components to a team that finished 24-4 and won the program's first regional game since 1932. Margaretta also is coming off its fourth district championship season and tied for first place in the SBC Bay Division. "We don't talk about last year. What we do talk about are the things that make a good basketball team," Margaretta coach Steve Keller Jr. said. "I don't have a problem with having some expectations because then you think you got something to work with. "We can't get into all the hype. We're probably playing the best schedule a Margaretta boys team has ever played. It'll be exciting to just see the process. The process is grinding every day to get better." This group of Polar Bears revolves around standout junior guards Julian Washington and Judah Keller. Washington, a twitchy 6-foot-5 star, already has several Division I offers. He averaged 19.8 points, seven rebounds and 3.4 assists last season. Washington shot 64 percent on 2-point attempts and made 83 percent of his free throws. "He's put that work in," Keller said. "Julian has always been a young man who's put in a lot of effort and has a great love for the game. He's taking it to another level now. He's trying to get stronger and get in the weight room because that's what the colleges have told him." Washington scored 26 points in Margaretta's 69-59 win against Worthington Christian in a Division III regional semifinal last March. "He's progressed with not just his skill set but with his effort and also with his understanding of what it takes to be good." Washington's running mate in the backcourt is Keller's son, Judah. He averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Both juniors are in their third year playing on Margaretta's varsity team. Senior Tate Bailey adds skill to the guard position. He averaged 8 points per game last season. Senior guard Nolan Wiley (4.5 ppg) also returns and junior Keiygan Morris also figures to get some time in the backcourt. Sophomore Tyson Bailey, a physical 6-2 post player, averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds last season. He is getting healthy after a calf injury hampered his football season. "We run an unorthodox big," Keller said. "Sometimes Tate Bailey will play the 4 with Tyson or Kale. We have the ability to go small. Hopefully we can do the things on the defensive end necessary to play that way." Sophomore Kale Bailey will provide more length at 6-4. He played in 27 games as a freshman. Tate and Kale are brothers while Tyson is their cousin. "The Baileys have been a nice family line for us, for sure," Keller said. Margaretta, which will play in Division V in the OHSAA's newly expanded seven-division format, faces a tough schedule that includes an appearance in the nationally known Flyin' to the Hoop showcase in Dayton. The Bears also take on Canton Central Catholic at the Battle of the Berkey and will participate in the Holiday Hoopla in Columbus. The nonconference schedule also includes trips to Shelby and Oak Harbor in early January. The Polar Bears have only three seniors this year (Tate Bailey, Ben Coffman, Wiley) and must replace do-everything Gage Bodey, who graduated after averaging 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists. "Every year is different. We gotta fill some spots," Keller said. "I like what we have and having some experience isn't a bad thing. Now we have to earn the right to be good. That's our saying. We have to work and pay attention to the details." Roster No.&emsp;&emsp;Name&emsp;&emsp;Pos.&emsp;&emsp;Ht.&emsp;&emsp;Yr. 3&emsp;Jaxson Bohn&emsp;G&emsp;5-8&emsp;10 4&emsp;Zach Gray&emsp;G&emsp;5-9&emsp;10 5&emsp;Kale Bailey&emsp;F&emsp;6-4&emsp;10 10&emsp;Tate Bailey&emsp;G&emsp;6-0&emsp;12 11&emsp;Ayden Miller&emsp;G-F&emsp;6-0&emsp;11 12&emsp;Keiygan Morris&emsp;G-F&emsp;6-1&emsp;11 14&emsp;Julian Washington&emsp;G-F&emsp;6-5&emsp;11 20&emsp;Nolan Wiley&emsp;G&emsp;6-0&emsp;12 22&emsp;Judah Keller&emsp;G&emsp;6-0&emsp;11 24&emsp;Rob Cox&emsp;F&emsp;6-0&emsp;11 34&emsp;Ben Coffman&emsp;C&emsp;6-2&emsp;12 40&emsp;Tyson Bailey&emsp;F-C&emsp;6-2&emsp;10