Hauser’s Stryker Gill looks for an open teammate against Brown County Nov. 26, 2024 at Hauser.
The Republic file photo
Hauser was a top boys basketball team in Class A last year and had state championship aspirations. The Jets came up short in the quest falling to eventual state champion Orleans by a bucket in the semistate round.
Hauser has the talent to make another run at the state title, and know what the challenges will be for this year.
“We met the Monday after the semistate and talked about the work that it was going to take to let this fuel the offseason, and I thought it was really similar to two years ago where we lost in the sectional championship, and we let that fire us up through that offseason,” Hauser coach Trent Moorhead said. “As unfortunate as it was for us to lose to Orleans in the semistate, that gives you more fuel into the offseason for the group that is hungry. It’s been a good motivator, and we know this is a brand new year. We hope the experience will be that in previous seasons which will keep propelling us forward.”
Hauser lost several key pieces, including three starters, to graduation from a team that went 24-4, including 6-0 in the Mid-Hoosier Conference. Even with the losses, the Jets should be a strong team this year to make another deep run in the postseason.
“It’s a well-rounded group with a lot of upperclassmen,” Moorhead said. “We obviously lost a lot of production from last year’s team with that senior class, but we feel that we have the pieces to rally around the guys that have had experience and guys that have put in work already to take the next step at the varsity level.
Hauser’s Gavin Keller goes for a layup against Brown County Nov. 26, 2024 at Hauser.
The Republic file photo
The Jets will be a senior-heavy team this year, led by two returning starters in 5-foot-11 senior Stryker Gill, who averaged 8.6 points and led Hauser with 8.0 assists and 2.3 steals; and 6-3 senior Gavin Keller, who averaged 10.9 points. Other key pieces returning this year from last year’s rotation include 6-3 seniors Kam Blair and Waylon Harper.
“Stryker Gill, Gavin Keller and Kameron Blair, those three guys have been playing varsity since their freshman year, so they’ve put in a lot of work over the years building toward this senior year,” Moorhead said. “When you throw Waylon Harper in the mix, he got plenty of extensive minutes last year. Those four guys in the senior class have been on the varsity quite a bit over the course of three years.”
Other players moving up from last year’s 19-1 JV team that will figure to be in the rotation include 5-7 senior Tyler Deiwert, 5-11 senior Bill Miller and 6-6 junior Joel Bechtel. Two players that previously played for the Jets and are returning to the team are 6-3 senior RJ Foster and 6-2 senior Jake Barriger. Rounding out the varsity roster are 6-0 junior Jacob Bell, 6-1 junior Braydon McFarland, 5-9 sophomore Chester Lonaker and 6-0 sophomore Peter Taylor.
“Joel Bechtel has grown to 6-foot-6. He’s had a nice offseason, and then you add in some more seniors who have contributed on the JV team last year, Bill Miller and Tyler Deiwert would be the two guys,” Moorhead said. “We’re fortunate to have guys (Foster and Barriger) who were a part of the program their freshman and sophomore years that weren’t with us last year are back for their senior year.”
The Jets will be the favorite once again to repeat as Mid-Hoosier Conference champions and retain the sectional title.
Hauser reignited its series with Columbus North last year. The two teams will once again square off, but instead of playing in January, the game will return to its traditional spot on the Saturday night after Thanksgiving.
The Jets have added Lawrenceburg and Indianapolis Lutheran, who Hauser defeated last year in the Martinsville Regional, to the schedule.
“It’s certainly nice to have schools that you know are going to challenge you and push you, and certainly we’re going to expect that, that Saturday after Thanksgiving, and we’re excited of getting that game to that traditional date with Columbus North. We’ll be prepared and ready to go for that just as coach (Paul) Ferguson will have his Bull Dogs prepared and ready to go,” Moorhead said. “We certainly enjoy the challenge of playing bigger schools that are going to give us a great, competitive game. No matter what the class size is, we are going to approach every game the same.”
