The Community R-6 boys will need to play smaller to shoot for bigger goals.

The Trojans are coming off a 14-14 season for their most victories in eight years but will have plenty of faces taking on more responsibility. That starts at the top with Kody Asquith, who becomes the head coach after spending two years as the varsity assistant coach and also has been the junior high head coach at Community and a junior high coach at Mark Twain.

Asquith said the Trojans will rely on players who didn’t receive as much varsity minutes a season ago because of the roles of Gavin Allen, Tucker Robnett and Eli Johnson. Johnson is still in school but will be out this season because of knee problems, but that opens up a spot and a team identity for the Trojans.

“We’re going to be a little smaller and not have the size of last year,” Asquith said. “We’re going to have to move the ball up and down the floor a little more fluidly. We can’t have Gavin setting up underneath the basket like we had last year.”

Returning all-conference player Mason Carroll and Brant Cope are seniors that were in the rotation a year ago and will be relied on more this season, Asquith said, as will other seniors Aaron Carter and Mason Rohan. Rohan came off the bench last year so he has some experience, but it will have been a while for Carter because he didn’t play his sophomore and junior years.

“Brant (Cope) and Mason (Carroll) are going to have to step up, and I think they’re going to do a fine job of stepping up and filling the shoes of Gavin,” Asquith said. “Mason Carroll is strong with the ball, he can go to the basket, he’s pretty consistent outside the perimeter and can knock down shots pretty well. Brant Cope, if we feed him the ball, he can go to work underneath the basket.”

“Aaron Carter is quick on the floor,” Asquith said. “He’s got that mindset of, ‘What do I need to do to get my job done?’”

Asquith said he is unsure of the amount of minutes his younger players will play but said they are in the running for playing time. He can speak firsthand on their potential as he led the junior high Trojans to double-digit victories last season. Caden Thomas and Clayton Eikel are names from that group that jump out to Asquith since Thomas brings good ball handling skills and Eikel is strong under the rim.

“That freshmen group, they’re played ball together their whole lives,” Asquith said. “They know each other and know how each other plays.”

Other than the freshmen, Asquith said sophomores Lane Carter and Cooper Rohan are underclassmen that are expected to fill good roles with the varsity team this season. Carter and Carroll are players Asquith is looking at to primarily handle the ball due to the Johnson injury.

“It’s really killing him not to play,” Asquith said. “I’m still inviting him to the team to be part of it. I think he’s going to be a good person on the bench to help keep the boys’ tempo up.”

Asquith said the goal for this year is simply to be better than last year so that means more wins. In their conference, the Trojans will have to overcome Cairo and New Franklin, but Asquith would like to see them emerge out of districts.

“We have the potential to make some noise this year,” Asquith said. “I feel like I’ve got a great group of boys who are willing to do that and want to do that.”