Fairbanks’ boys varsity basketball team is pictured from left, front row, Mason Winkle, Gage Wilson, Gatlin Luke, Sean Galsterer, Carter Schultz and Wyatte Miller; second row, assistant coach Andy Clark, Andy Higinbotham, Owen Herbst, Travis Brake, Braylon Green, Trey Good and head coach Justin George. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The Fairbanks High School boys varsity basketball team is coming off one of its best seasons in a number of years.
The Panthers compiled a 20-3 record and captured first-place honors in the Ohio Heritage Conference North Division.
FHS lost a number of players from that squad due to graduation.
Those who graduated include Tyler Beem, Jacob Nicol and Cross Hackathorne.
They combined to average 31 points per game.
Head coach Justin George will be in a rebuilding mode of sorts as he has just two lettermen back from last year’s team.
Braylon Green is a 6-3 forward who averaged 10.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
The other letterman is Wyatte Miller, a guard who averaged 2.9 points per outing.
Although there isn’t much in the way of varsity experience on the roster, George feels the Panthers will be competitive this winter.
“I feel we should be at the top of the OHC North Division, along with West Jefferson and West Liberty-Salem,” said George.
Newcomers to the varsity program include guards Sean Galsterer, Gatlin Luke, Carter Schultz, Gage Wilson and Mason Winkle.
Trey Good and Owen Herbst are forwards who are new to the varsity, while Travis Brake is a 6-5 senior post player who is playing his first season of high school basketball.
The Panthers will use the early part of the season to determine which players will fit in well in the lineup.
“We have good depth in all spots and we have players who are versatile,” said George.
One area the Panthers will have to work on is finding one or two more consistent scorers to take some of the offensive load off Green’s shoulders.
Despite several newcomers to the varsity lineup, George has definite goals for the 2019-20 campaign.
“We want to once again win the OHC North Division and also win a couple of Division III tournament games,” he said.
The Panther junior varsity boys basketball team is pictured from left, front row, Grant Rausch, Cade Feller, Tanner Ufferman, Alex Crowe and Dylan Tobe; second row, coach Chris Nichols, Austin Key, Cade Ziegler, Andrew Higinbotham, Kyler Wilson-Hoar, Ryker Beaty, Tyler Ufferman and coach Jeff Ziegler. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Members of Fairbanks’ freshman boys hoop squad are from left, front row, Eli Thrush, Brogan Green, Dylan Wiedmann, Evan Blumenschein, Caleb Wenger, Drew Rausch and Joey Ziegler; second row, Jordan Wilson, Andrew Crowe, Nathan Combs, Sam Johnson, Peyton Hubbs, Taylor Andrews and coach Keenan Chapman. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)