Following a strong 2021-22 season in which they finished district runner-up, Trinity (Whitesville) is looking to make a big postseason push with a roster filled with experience.
The Raiders finished last year with an overall record of 16-16, losing by two in the 12th District Championship before falling in the first round of the 3rd Region Tournament to Owensboro. Trinity lost one senior from last year’s team in big man Bailey Wright, but have returned nearly the entire roster.
They’ll be led by senior Landon Huff, who was dominant on both ends of the floor with his athleticism that allows him to play inside and out. Head Coach Nathan West said that he’s one of the best rebounders he’s ever coached and knows that he will create a lot of offensive opportunities for them this season.
“Landon was our leading scorer (14.7 PPG) and rebounder (8.3 RPG) last season and is a match-up nightmare for opposing players,” West said. “He is a tremendous athlete, particularly when slashing to the basket, and his length and athleticism make him a force defensively and when rebounding, especially on the offensive glass. I have said this numerous times, but Landon is the best offensive rebounder that I have ever coached.”
With rebounding being a key point of emphasis for the Raiders going into the season, players like Huff and fellow senior Landon Smith (8.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg) will be huge factors in the team’s success.
“I have already mentioned how important being a physical rebounding team is to our style of play, so I am hoping that we can crack the Top-25 in the state this season,” West said. “We also need to find that balance of pressuring defenses with the pace at which we play while also not forcing anything that could lead to unnecessary turnovers. Finally, we must improve defensively. We scored a ton of points last year, but we also gave up too many points and for us to achieve what I believe we are capable of, we must tighten up on that end of the floor.”
Senior guard Nate Hernandez will play a big role in limiting their turnovers, as West said that his defense and decision-making have improved over the summer. Trinity has six seniors in total—which West knows is impressive for the size of their school—including Gavin Howard, Nick Goetz and Nolan Mills as well.
West will be expecting other players to take on bigger roles this season, including juniors John Paul Payne and Nolan Huff and sophomores Hayden Aull and Conner Hatfield are expected to log major varsity minutes. Sophomore Will Hernandez and Bransen Howard are also going to be in the mix this season, as West knows he can count on the both of them for some marksmanship off of the bench.
West said that due to a combination of both maturity and familiarity, that his guys had a fantastic summer utilizing an up-tempo offense that they implemented last season to compete against and defeat several powerhouses from both Kentucky and Southern Indiana. He said that his team has gotten much stronger due to a concerted effort in the weight rooms, as well as being much tougher mentally—which he hopes will help the Raiders have one of its best seasons in recent memory.
“This should be the year,” West said. “Nearly our entire roster returns, and my core rotation is now entering either their second or third years of major varsity minutes. We should be able to challenge for a 12th District title and, hopefully, be a dark horse for a deep regional run.”
