Boys basketball team opens season with a win against Evansville
By Dan Truttschel
Sports Correspondent
Anyone expecting the East Troy High School boys basketball team to dwell on what could have been will be sorely disappointed.
The Trojans certainly will embrace their recent past – including last year’s trip to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Tournament – but now they’re looking forward to the future.
And it looks as bright as ever.
East Troy must replace of talented players from last year’s 23-4 squad that fell to Lodi in a Division 3 state semifinal, but coach Darryl Rayfield is excited for that challenge.
Gone are the Trojans’ top-three scorers in Brett Prahl (19.7 points per game), Nate Dodge (19.5) and Alex Prahl (11.5), who each are now competing at the NCAA Division 1 level.
“We are young, athletic and fearless,” Rayfield said. “We’re not very big, but we play very hard. There are a lot of unknowns, but I do know they love to play.”
East Troy, which won its opener last week 78-69 over Evansville, will rely on several players who contributed on the varsity last year, but now will be counted on to lead the way.
Junior guard Will Iloncaie (6-foot-1) returns as the leading scorer after he averaged 5.1 points per game last year.
“Will Iloncaie is a very talented athlete and has had a great summer and fall,” Rayfield said. “He’s already getting some college interest.”
Also back are 5-8 junior guard Matt Kaminski (4.9), 6-0 junior guard Conner Mitchell (4.7), 6-1 senior guard Matt Miller (4.6), 6-3 sophomore guard-forward Justin Growel (3.4) and 6-4 senior forwardd Sam Eckert (3.3). Senior Jacob Growell (6-3, guard) averaged 2.9 points a year ago.
“Will Iloncaie is a very talented athlete and he has had a great summer and fall,” Rayfield said.
Rounding out the varsity roster are seniors Tim Farmer (5-8, guard), Justin Fleury (6-4, forward-guard); and sophomores Jonathon Brehm (5-7, guard), Joe Ciriacks (5-7, guard) and Logan Parsons (5-9, guard).
Rayfield said there is plenty of competition for playing time.
“I’m going to find out who wants it the most,” he said. “There will be several opportunities for a full roster of capable players. Any time you have numbers it brings out a very competitive situation.
“Practices have been going well. Our numbers are way up. This is a great basketball community.”
Unlike previous seasons when they Trojans boasted plenty of size – the Prahl twins were both 6-9 – this version of the East Troy squad will have to rely on other ways to defeat its opponents, Rayfield said.
“Our weakness is we are just not very big,” he said. “Rebounding and defensive toughness (are other concerns).”
Iloncaie leads way
East Troy wasted little time in getting into its RVC schedule last week with a 78-69 road victory at Evansville.
The game was tight throughout. East Troy led 56-52 heading into the fourth quarter before it finally pulled away with a five-point edge in the last eight minutes.
Iloncaie led the way with 24 points, including an eight for 12 effort from the free-throw line. Miller was next with 15 points, followed by Kaminski and Mitchell with 14 apiece.
East Troy will be back in action Tuesday, Dec. 3, when it hosts Edgerton in a 7:15 p.m. RVC contest. The Trojans then travel to McFarland Friday, Dec. 6, to face the Spartans, also at 7:15.
