ARCANUM – Arcanum lost its top two scorers from last year to graduation but returns a strong core for the 2016-17 boys basketball season.
Arcanum lost all-Cross County Conference honorees Austin Baker and Cole Burrell, who combined for 20.4 points per game last season. Despite losing that strong pair, the Trojans have seven returning lettermen to build around.
“We return a large group of players that have an understanding of our culture, our program and what we want to accomplish on and off the floor,” Arcanum boys basketball coach Marcus Bixler said.
Seniors Brandon Kinney and Devin Burns return to the Trojans’ starting lineup as guards. Kinney led the team with 3.4 assists a game last year.
Junior Andrew Baker returns to the starting lineup as a post player after averaging 6.1 points a game as a sophomore.
Sophomore Wade Meeks, who is Arcanum’s top returning scorer after averaging 9.4 points per game off the bench as a freshman, will move into the starting lineup as a guard this year.
Another sophomore, Even Atchley, also returns to the varsity level and will move into a starting role as a wing player.
Also returning for the Trojans are a pair of seniors in Alec Atchley and Brandon Riffell, both of whom are projected to come off the bench.
Arcanum also has a number of players moving up to varsity this year to fill out the roster. Senior post Alec Atchley, senior post Cambell Gostomsky, senior post Maverick Hildebrand, senior post Brandon Riffell, junior wing Wills Troutwine and freshman wing Carter Gray will come off the bench for the Trojans.
Arcanum has made slight changes to its schemes to better fit its personnel, Bixler said. The Trojans will look to spread the floor on offense and play man-to-man on defense.
“Offensively we have to be willing to push and dictate pace during the game,” Bixler said.
