The Rotation: Shiloh Christian
The Shiloh Skyhawks went 20-7 last season, winning the Region 5 Tournament title on their way to the state tournament. There, they lost to Bishop Ryan in contested fashion but came away with a win by beating Wyndmere/Lidgerwood. With several starters back, expectations should be high for Shiloh this season.
Must be Replaced: Jonas Mitzel, Bartholomew Ogbu
The Skyhawks have to essentially replace one guy from the team that went 11-3 over the final 14 games before the state tournament. Jonas Mitzel was solid in his final season, averaging 12 points per game and providing valuable intangibles especially after Ogbu was deemed ineligible about halfway through the season.
Returning Starters: Macauley Young, Jaden Mitzel, Canaan Fagerland, Matthew Reep
There’s a lot to like about the returners for Shiloh. Macauley Young averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds last year and is a walking double-double. He anchored what was one of the best defenses in Class B last season and his ability to produce points efficiently inside opens a lot of things up for the Shiloh perimeter players. Jaden Mitzel was very good as a sophomore, averaging 12 points and eight rebounds. He’s one of the best players in the 2020 class and could step into an even bigger offensive role. Canaan Fagerland and Matthew Reep were solid in complementary roles last season and provide solid two-way play.
Stepping Into New Roles: Trey Brunelle, Josh Lardy
Brunelle and Lardy were bench guys last season for the Skyhawks and both flashed promise. Brunelle figures to see a lot of playing time in the backcourt as either a starter next to Fagerland or as the primary sixth man. Either way, his ability to create will be valuable for Shiloh. Lardy provides a boost up front as he’ll be able to play off the attention Young draws inside.
Season Outlook
The Skyhawks return six of their top seven guys and should enter the year as the favorite to represent Region 5 in the state tournament again. They were one of the best defensive teams in the state last season and while they’ll need to replace the elder Mitzel, internal growth from a big crop of underclassmen seems plausible. They have an elite inside-outside duo in Macauley Young and Jaden Mitzel. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the two combine to average 35-40 points and 20 rebounds. That star power will give them a chance in every game — along with a strong defense — and they’ve got readymade solid role players that fill in the gaps and excel off that attention. Shiloh’s had talented clubs basically every year and this year is no different.