St. Joseph to kick off 2022-23 season with SJO Classic

By Fred Kroner and Dani Tietz

By DANI TIETZ

When opponents prepare to face St. Joseph-Ogden’s boys’ basketball team this season, they may have a one-track mind — Ty Pence. 

The Illinois State University recruit has amassed 1,504 career points for the Spartans (a 19.3 career scoring average covering 78 games) while nailing 151 three-pointers and collecting 501 rebounds. The 6-foot, 6-inch senior forward has his sights set on the school’s career scoring record to finish out his senior year.

But being a part of the St. Joseph-Ogden program is so much more than personal achievements for Pence. He’s hoping to lead his team to back-to-back regional championships, and a sectional title. 

Really, there will only be one way to do that.

“We’ve talked a lot about the ups and downs a season can bring. We have to stick together no matter what the situation is,” head coach Kiel Duval said. “There are going to be games where we know it is going to be a dogfight.

“You don’t go into those games as an individual – you go in as ONE TEAM.”

Duval said the 2022-23 group of 12 is one of the tightest groups he’s seen in his five-year tenure.

“I would say this is one of the closer groups we’ve had in a while,” he said. “They are close on and off the court. That helps a lot with being able to play together.”

Pence is at the helm, alongside classmates Maddux Carter and McGwire Atwood. 

Duval will count on their experience to navigate the Illini Prairie Conference — dubbed the toughest conference in IHSA Class 2A play this year. Conference member Monticello was the Class 2A state runner-up last season.

Pence already knows he has to prepare in practice to see a myriad of defenses and stay at the top of his game for the Spartans to reach their goals. 

“The second he lets up and takes the foot off the gas is when his opponent has him,’” Duval said. “If he practices every day with that mindset to be the best, he will have another great season.”

Opponents should keep other Spartans in mind in their scouting report. Duval is expecting big things from Carter and Atwood, too. 

“Maddux is a guy that is going to surprise people this year,” Duval said. “He’s not really big and doesn’t look to have a lot of weight on him. However, he plays tough. He plays strong. He’s not afraid to mix it up a little bit. 

“He’ll guard perimeter players and really bother them. He’s like a gnat on the defensive end. He’ll be a great energy guy for us off the bench.

“McGwire played quite a few minutes last year off the bench and even started a few games. Even though he is an undersized post player, he plays big. His role as an offensive rebounder for this team doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“He is one of the best we’ve ever had at understanding his role and owning that role. He will bring energy and he will without a doubt be a crowd favorite with how hard he plays.”

Juniors Logan Smith and Brock Trimble are also expected to see a significant amount of time on the court, alongside sophomore Coy Taylor.

“The strength of this team is no doubt the guard play,” Duval said. “We have some guards that can create and make plays. They have some quickness to get by people and also have some toughness to be able to handle the contact inside.”

Smith adds an 8.5 per-game scoring average from last year’s 23-10 season to the mix.

Duval noted Trimble’s family legacy at St. Joseph-Ogden. Brandon and Bree came before. Both older siblings enjoyed taking the Spartans deep into IHSA tournament play.

Brandon Trimble, a 2017 SJ-O graduate, holds the SJ-O boys’ basketball scoring record that Pence is chasing. Brandon Trimble tallied 2,115 points.

Pence needs 612 points to break the Spartans’ all-time record. For perspective, Pence scored 756 points as a junior.

A 6-foot-5 junior, Brock Trimble may have big shoes to fill, but Duval believes he’s up to the challenge. 

“Brock is a very different player than Brandon, but still has the Trimble ability to put the ball in the hole,” Duval said. “There will be games this year where Brock will fill up the stat sheet.”

Coming off a record-setting football season as a receiver, Taylor will be another player to watch. As a Spartan freshman, he averaged 6.1 points per game.

While statistical leaders are what is reported to the media most of the time, Carter, Atwood, and Pence have played basketball for the friendship that comes along with being part of a team.

“Being a part of the SJO program is something special,” Atwood said. “It is about coming together and being a part of something bigger than yourself. Being able to put on the Spartans’ jersey and represent the whole community is something that I will always cherish.”

Before Pence can catch Brandon Trimble’s record, he has two other former Spartans to pass. He needs 119 points to supplant 1996 graduate Brandon Frerichs (1,622 career points) in third place and 236 to move beyond 1971 graduate Rick Schmidt, who had 1,739 points, and currently stands in second place.

Dating back to his freshman season, Pence has scored in double figures in 47 of his last 48 varsity games with a career-high performance of 40 points.