When the Houston High School boys basketball team takes the floor in the 2024-2025 season, there will be one thing the squad will not be short on: Upperclassmen.
The Tigers’ roster features 11 of them, including eight seniors.
“Having so many upperclassmen makes it easy with drills and putting in our defense because they know what to do,” said first-year head coach Dan Narancich. “I don’t have to spend time going over the big stuff. We can get right into the small things that make a defense work. The experience that they have is a big key to our success we have this season.”
Last year under former head coach Jim Moore, the Tigers finished with an overall record of 6-19 and went 1-6 in South Central Association conference play. The 7-foot Narancich has been assistant coach for the HHS girls for the past four seasons. He also spent a couple of seasons as the HHS boys assistant coach about 10 years ago and served one season as Houston Middle School boys head coach.
Narancich is a native of Monett and graduated high school there, helping the Cubs basketball team win a district championship along the way before playing for two seasons at Missouri State University – West Plains. This is his first stint as a head coach.
“I feel like any other new coach, nervous and excited all at the same time,” he said.
Narancich said the Tigers will employ an up-tempo approach on offense.
“We are looking at a quick, running offense, with great ball movement but the ability to take the open shot,” he said. “We are working on building the confidence in the boys to know we want the ball shot if they have a good look. I expect a lot of easy buckets around the rim and open shots for the 3-ball for guards.”
Defensively, Narancich said the Tigers will play with “ball pressure and a big physical presence.”
“We are going to work on trusting our team and talking to each other,” he said.
Houston has several returning starters, including senior guard Jordan Arthur, 6-5 senior center Brody Adkison and junior point guard DJ Riley. The Tigers also have several players with significant experience, including senior guards Nick Dennis, Dylan Dzurick and Zeke Grange (who will miss at least a couple of months with an injury), as well as senior forward Owen Wells and 6-5 junior center Gavyn Daily.
“Each and every one of our players have the ability to make a positive impact,” Narancich said. “Each athlete makes their impact at different times for different reasons, which is one of the reasons I think we will be winning games this year.”
Narancich expects the Tigers’ depth to be a plus.
“The ability to change our players and not change the flow and chemistry of the team just makes us that more diverse,” he said. “We will be in shape, and having the depth to pull from should let us be able to outlast any team.”
The last time the Hoops Tigers won a conference championship was in 1989 and the last time the squad won a district title was in 1984.
Naranich said keys to the Tigers’ success this season include the ability to run and shoot the ball, pressing on defense and team chemistry.
“The boys want to work and are showing up to work even when it’s hard,” he said. “That is what I’m impressed with so far this season – they want to work and they want to win.”
The Tigers’ assistant coach will once again be Rodney Preheim, who’s in his third season in the position.
The team participated in a preseason Jamboree on Tuesday of this week at Mountain Grove, also including Eminence and Plato. Houston begins the season with a home game against Koshkonong on Monday, Dec. 2.
Not long after being hired as head coach in late May, Narancich issued a warning to the opposition.
“We’re going to compete from the time the ball gets thrown up to the last whistle,” he said. “Our goal is to win, and teams are going to have to be at their best when they play us.
“Teams better be ready.”
2024-2025 HHS BOYS BASKETBALL ROSTER
SCHEDULE
