Holcomb basketball eyes growth in trip to Branson

HOLCOMB - Holcomb's High School gymnasium was mostly empty Wednesday evening, but it was filled with the strong scent of wax that covered the Hornets basketball court. The fresh, shiny coating is evidence that a new school year is drawing near, while coaches and athletes look to start fresh.

Hornets head basketball coach Chris Hahn was busy working inside his office, which rests one door away from that glossy hardwood floor. There, he was gathering gear and other necessities as he prepared to take members of his team to Branson.

On Thursday, the Holcomb High School basketball team left home, embarking on a journey to build their skills in a 3-day camp. The whirlwind tour will see the Hornets playing 10 games against tough and unfamiliar competition.

Hahn says the goal of the trip is to bring the team closer together ahead of the upcoming school year.

"The main reason that I wanted to go to Branson is because it's like a team bonding experience," he said inside his office. "Whenever you're playing games with your friends, you're hanging out all day long - you're spending pretty much three days with them - you get pretty close with each other.

"I'm hoping that makes us a better team, because I thought last year we played individually a lot. I see it this summer, too, so our guys really need to gel together because they've played for two years."

Despite a promising start to the season, the Hornets struggled through most of the 2014-15 season. They finished 4-16 after working and scrambling to overcome a mid-season slump.

The season was Hahn's first as head coach at Holcomb. With a year under his belt, he's found ways to identify each player's weaknesses and strengths while trying to improve upon both.

"Last summer was basically just to kind of get to know the kids," Hahn said. "We didn't really put in a whole lot of stuff because I was trying to get to know their personalities and who he had and what we can do.

"This summer, the thing that's different is that I want them to play the way that I want them to play. So we're kind of breaking down bad habits and we're starting to see what our weaknesses are. And I really harp on those, that way our guys know what they need to change within this last month before we get back to school."

Hahn's running similar plays that he ran last year, but this time he's hoping those plays will be much more polished than last season. The team's been hitting the gym three to four days each week, playing roughly 30 games along the way.

Like all coaches in the summer, Hahn's struggled to get all members of this team under the same roof. Seniors Colton Dunbar and Pearson McClendon are busy playing summer baseball, while others are vacationing or working.

The lack of senior leadership this summer has provided a big opportunity for the younger players to step up. Hahn is already heaping praising on those who have answered the call.

"I've seen pretty good leadership," he said, before praising an important junior. "Alec McDaniel, he's here every day. He stays longer than everybody. When he's on the floor, he talks. He's doing everything we ask."

Hahn also praised the improvement in Jordan Massey's game. Meanwhile, he says Nathan Roso has taken over some summer games.

Still, the Hornets head coach sees room for improvement, and he hopes this Branson trip will help close the gap.

"Since we're going to be missing some of our guys, our younger guys - and even our juniors - are going to take on some bigger roles and they've been doing that," Hahn said. "They're playing with a lot more pressure right now, and hopefully that makes them better players and they're prepared for the season and they're not going to be really nervous when they get in the real games."

The Hornets will soon see how they stack up against similarly sized teams based out west. Despite the size, Hahn says his team will have to adjust to a different style of play.

"Usually, teams that play out there, they're not as physical as the teams we play, but they have better skills," he added. "So that will give us a new look from what we're used to seeing.

"I'm just looking for growth in every one of our kids. Kind of get some confidence, because we lacked confidence after losing so many games in that one streak after Christmas."

The trip has been made possible by community members who contributed to fundraising efforts earlier in the year. Such support has provided the Hornets with a unique opportunity to not only grow as players, but to grow as a team as well.