The Van-Far boys had a big season a year ago and don’t want to settle for less this year.

The Indians lost in the district championship game against Harrisburg but went 22-6 while running out their best defense in a long time. This year’s Indians will have many back from that roster.

Head coach Pat Connaway said the defense he had last year, averaging 45.9 points allowed per game, was statistically even better than the 2018 state championship team (49.4), but there is an advantage for this year’s team.

“We are a lot bigger,” Connaway said. “We’re not nearly as quick, but I think we can give teams with smaller guards a lot of trouble.”

Pacey Reading is the top scorer returning for Van-Far and only other to average scoring in double figures (14.9) last year along with the graduate Nikos Connaway. He, post player Carter Jennings and guard Gage Gibson won’t be back, but Reading brings his 6-foot-4 frame. Gaven Gaston is 6-foot-1, Kasen Christian is around 6-foot-1, and Carson Huff and Evan Utterback are each around six feet tall.

Connaway said all of that size vertically will help, but there is also some size horizontally with muscular frames being brought over from the football field. Each of those aforementioned names were part of an 8-3 season for the Indians on the gridiron, as was “big-bodied” Gibson Condie that is expected to be more in the post this season.

“We hit the offensive glass well,” Connaway said about last year. “Hopefully, we can be a defensive rebounding team and limit teams to one-and-done.”

Connaway said the Indians want to bring their defensive average closer to 40 points per game but will need to be better rebounding and play a clean brand of defense.

“If we can do it without fouling, I think our defense can be a strength as well,” Connaway said. “We can’t get in foul trouble, especially early on with a lot of inexperience on the bench. There is a lot of experience in the starters, but other than that, it’s going to be a learning curve for a little while.”

Until those inexperienced players on a 12-man varsity roster can “steal minutes,” Connaway said he’s hoping his returners can carry a lot of the weight. He said Gaston will serve in a big role as the primary ball handler, which previously belonged to Nikos Connaway and Utterback is a “workhorse” in the post. Huff is a senior that enters his second year as an Indian following a transfer from Wellsville-Middletown, which went to a state Final Four his freshman year, and is the second biggest scorer returning after Reading.

Connaway said Van-Far needs a “two-three punch” to go with Reading, who knows can consistently bring scoring, rebounding and 3-point shooting. He said the Indians need that consistency from the rest of his returners, no matter who has the scoring production any given night.

“It might just be one,” Connaway said. “It could be a different kid on a given night. They’ve all got the potential to score in double figures. We can’t have a night where Pacey scores 20-plus and no one else scores.”

Sophomore Kaleb Baskett and freshman Bryce Reading should get some minutes, and the junior Christian should have a bigger role. Connaway said Christian didn’t play a lot of minutes last year due to being a defensive-focused player but expects to fill a similar role to Gibson a year ago as a ball handler and passer.

Connaway said this year’s Indians have “every bit of the same” potential as last year’s team so the goals will be the same. Van-Far won the Bowling Green Tournament and finished third in the Tony Lenzini Tournament in Palmyra along with coming close to a district title. The Indians will be going for those along with an Eastern Missouri Conference title along with teams like Montgomery County, Bowling Green and Clopton.

“Realistically, we might be a year away from a big, big run, but the potential is there this year,” Connaway said. “It’s a good group of kids, and they’ll be a fun team to watch again.”