Coming off a 5-win season last year, the Tecumseh boys’ basketball team is preparing to turn things around with the start of the new season begins next weekend. Coach Roger Culbertson has been working in the preseason to bring together a young, inexperienced group as they open the season December 1 hosting Miamisburg.

“We have a lot of inexperienced players right now with only two main players back in Clay Mastin and Devin Alltop,” Culbertson said as his team prepares for a recent scrimmage at Franklin Monroe. “Those are two leaders, and hopefully our other kids can step up and I think we can be a physically more-sound team than last year. We are trying to change up our offense a bit this season to put more emphasis on our match-up zone.”

Culbertson is counting on several multi-sport athletes to help bring success back to the Arrows.

“The overall toughness of the kids coming back will be a key. We have several football kids who can compete and I think we can get the best out of those kids every night.”

“This summer, I thought we had some games that showed us compete a lot better. I am feeling good so far with what I have seen. We have to compete with one of the tougher schedules than we may have ever had.”

The Arrows have been practicing for a couple of weeks, and Culbertson hopes to use the remaining scrimmages to see where his team sits as the season begins.

“We have only had one scrimmage so far, I thought we did ok considering we are playing six new kids who have never played varsity basketball,” he said. “I think it will be a learning curve there early on.”

Mastin returns as the Arrows main go-to player, as the senior will be counted on for leadership this season.

“This is his third year starting, and he can play,” Culbertson said. “He is a very unselfish kid and competes and plays hard every night. He needs to understands also that he will be the main focus from the other teams to stop, but he will handle it.”

Also back Is another senior Alltop, who Culbertson calls a strong kid and handles the ball well.

“He is probably the best passer we have, he finds ways to get things done. He played well this summer, and when he plays well, our team plays well.”

Tyler Cory is another senior who has been in the program for four years.

“He is a big physical kid who will give his best effort every day,” Culbertson said. “He will be a team player and play his role out every game.”

Luke Slone is a senior who can be a factor for the Arrows according to their coach, who says he can guard well defensively.

Three juniors also reside on the roster, including Davey Berner, Randy Collins and Blais Hale, who is injured. Sophomore Easton Lewis and freshman Donovan Collins round out the roster for the Arrows.

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