Winamac boys basketball preview: Senior starters Malchow, Potthoff, Burgess return for Warriors

Val T.
2 hours ago
5 min read

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Winamac boys basketball team won nine games in the 2022-23 season, which was the year before Mike Springer arrived as coach.

In Springer’s first year, they won 12 games. Last year, in Springer’s second season, they won 15 games and went 7-1 in the Hoosier North. They scored three-and-a-half more points per game as a team and allowed five-and-a-half fewer.

Their ascent as a program not only coincided with Springer’s arrival as a coach but with Brendan Hines’ development as a player. Hines was second on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg), second in assists (3.0 apg) and first in steals (2.2 spg).

Hines has now graduated. Key frontcourt backups Brayden Mathias and Alex Hague also graduated.

But Brendan Hines is the only one of Winamac’s top seven scorers who graduated. Forward Will Malchow (13.1 ppg) and guard Justin Potthoff (10.1 ppg) are returning double figure scorers. Ethan Burgess (6.3 ppg) is also back and gives Winamac a third senior starter.

“What Brendan did, Brendan set the table for us,” Springer said on the eve of his 42nd season of coaching. “And when we needed him to step up, he did that. I felt like we had some other players that stepped up in crucial times as well – Malchow and Potthoff. Those guys stepped up, and they will step up this year as well.”

Sharpshooter Parker Zeider and 6-7 center Johnathan Kletz give Winamac two more seniors.

Jaybin Hines, Brendan’s younger brother and the team leader in assists at 4.0 per game, is also back.

“Justin’s going to be called on to be the point guard for the season,” Springer added. “He and Jaybin Hines will have the majority of the work there. But those guys, those seniors, will be ready to step up along with Jaybin. Some of those guys have played now three years of varsity … and Will’s had four. So they’re ready to go.”

Sean Stark, who was fifth in the state in goals with 38 in soccer this fall, will give the Warriors another junior. Springer calls him an “Energizer bunny” and a “feisty, competitive player.”

Sophomores include big men Evan Burgess and Hunter Haschel, forward Hutch Martin and 3-point specialist Kannon Hoover.

“We had really good attendance throughout the summer, especially in the month of June,” Springer said. “We went to D1 Team Camp (in Hammond), and the kids did a really good job. All of our kids from our eighth grade to freshman to the varsity team did a really good job at the camp. I was really pleased with that. I think our kids got better shooting the ball. They spent some time doing that.”

Malchow averaged a team-best 13.1 ppg last year. After not making a 3-pointer his first two seasons, he made five triples last year.

“Will’s improved his game from the 3-point line in the offseason as well,” Springer said. “He’s a hard matchup. He’s a strong kid. He moves well. Plus, he’s left-handed, which can make things difficult on kids. Will’s a tough matchup, and I’m glad he’s on our team, and we don’t have to guard him.”

Potthoff will get more time at the point on offense. On defense, Springer said he will typically defend top opposing players.

“Justin has worked on his game,” Springer said. “He has really been good at taking the ball to the basket scoring as well as finding the open man.”

Springer calls Ethan Burgess “our Swiss army knife.”

“He can defend the post,” Springer said. “He can defend on the ball. He is going to be called upon to look more to score this year as well. He just does whatever we need him to do. He’s got a big heart. He’s got a great work ethic. He just is very, very reliable.”

Springer said he saw the 6-2 Zeider gain in confidence last year and said that was due to his work in the gym.

“He’s worked hard at his game, and he’s gotten physically stronger, and I think that’s something that is going to help him as we go throughout the season,” Springer said. “He’ll be able to guard players on the inside, and he’ll be able to help us with rebounding as well.”

Kletz will get a taste of varsity experience after playing JV last year.

“He brings some enthusiasm to the team,” Springer said. “He’s a good worker. He’s a young man that I wish would have played his freshman and sophomore years, but he’s improved a lot because he’s worked at it. You can tell that he’s improved. He’s confident. He will give us some extra minutes off the bench as well.”

The team’s calling card could be its defense. Springer’s teams are proficient in both man-to-man and zone. The defensive average of 44.5 was also their lowest since the 2018-19 season.

“The first year, we had a good group of seniors, and we had Brendan Hines as a junior, but we had to rely on sophomores that were 15 years old,” Springer said. “Last year, those sophomores were juniors, and that year of experience for Will Malchow, Justin Potthoff and Ethan Burgess was huge. And Jaybin Hines got some experience as a freshman. So last year, those kids were able to step up and give us some good things defensively, and the other kids that we had that came off the bench for us last year were kids that were seniors … those kids were kids that we could rely on to give us good defensive minutes. … When you play juniors and seniors, it makes a big difference in your program. We’ll have sophomores contribute, but we don’t have to rely on them like we did that first year.”

There are no changes to the high school coaching staff, but Heath Gearhart moves over from Caston and will coach the eighth-graders. Springer also said Gearhart will help with the high school staff.

Winamac boys basketball schedule

Winamac added Boone Grove to their schedule. Also, Delphi will host the entirety of the Indiana Kitchen Classic, which will be compacted down to a two-day span (Dec. 29-30).

Nov. 25 – vs. Twin Lakes, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 29 – vs. North Newton, 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 – at Rochester, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 – vs. Knox, 8 p.m.

Dec. 12 – at Argos, 8 p.m.

Dec. 16 – at Culver, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 – vs. Triton, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29-30 – Indiana Kitchen Classic at Delphi (field includes Delphi, Frankfort, North Montgomery, North Newton, Pioneer, Rossville, Taylor)

Jan. 6 – vs. Oregon-Davis, 8:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 – vs. North Miami, 8 p.m.

Jan. 13 – vs. Boone Grove, 8 p.m.

Jan. 16 – vs. North Judson, 8 p.m.