Spartans host Tigers in season opener
Under first year head coach Tony Santisteban, the Exira-EHK Spartans had a successful season going 19-5 overall, making it all the way to the 1A-8 Semifinal, losing 56-49 to the Woodbine Tigers.
"We're excited," Santisteban said. "It's definitely going to be a new challenge this year, just from graduating a lot of kids that played a lot of minutes last year. We have a couple of returners where Josh Nelson will be the returning starter and then we have two returners that didn't play a whole lot last year, but I know they're ready for the opportunity in Austin Rasmussen and Owen Juhl."
During their season last year, the Spartans were led by Cash Emgarten with 428 points, averaging 17.8 per game, Nelson with 179 rebounds, averaging 7.5 per game, and Aiden Flathers with 121 assists, averaging five per game.
Some of the Spartans wins came against Woodbine, Boyer Valley, West Harrison, CAM, Panorama, Lenox, Heartland Christian, and others. Emgarten, Flathers, Cole Brabham, Jameson Kilworth, Jonas LaCanne, Jaiden Pettepier, and Jackson Radcliff have all graduated.
"They played a lot of basketball since they were younger, and they were a good group to coach," Santisteban said. "I couldn't have asked for a better group my first year. I'm going to miss them. Everyday how they worked and how they approached practice and games."
The Spartans will open this season at home Dec. 3 against Woodbine, who they won two of three matches against. Last season Woodbine finished 23-3 and were led by Carter Gruver with 526 points, averaging 20.2 points per game, and 119 assists, averaging 4.6 per game, along with Jax Pryor with 162 rebounds, averaging 6.2 per game.
"It's a new year and obviously they're going to be tough as nails," Santisteban added. "Kyle [Bartels] does a good job over there with Woodbine. Having the group of kids he has, they're going to be ready to go and want to get out of the gate fast and start their season on a high note. We've just got to match their intensity and be able to do the little things as well as we can. We'll see what happens Dec. 3."
Following their season opener against Woodbine, the Spartans will face another Rolling Valley Conference opponent in Boyer Valley, and a few weeks after, the IKM-Manning Wolves, a team they lost to last season 84-67.
"The way I look at it, every night is going to be a tough night," Santisteban said. "It doesn't matter who we are playing. We've got to be ready to bring our A-game every game. That's easier said than done."