Superior Central High School had been waiting a long time for their boys basketball team to have a season like it did last year. The Cougars had a breakthrough year last winter, going 16-8 overall and by all accounts playing some pretty good ball.

“Best season and first winning record I believe in 11 years,” fifth-year head coach Adam Ely said. “The seniors that graduated worked really hard to turn the program around, and I couldn’t have been happier to see them win.”

While the Cougars will be without some key pieces that graduated from the 2023-24 team, Ely is hoping that last season’s success can continue with a new cast of players leading the way.

“This group is new and young, and we don’t have any depth — but that isn’t new for us,” Ely said. “They put in a lot of work in the offseason, are a very coachable group and are eager to try and continue the wins from last season.”

Returning to the team will be senior forwards Zander Bigger and Drew Begovac and junior guards Blake Tanner and Jack McDougall.

New to the team will be senior Noah Bell (forward) and sophomores Ryder Kroupa (guard), Eli Valima (forward) and Andrew Charlebois (guard).

“The base of our program nev-er really changes,” Ely said. “We just adapt it to the strengths of the personnel from year to year. Although we aren’t learning anything new, we are learning tweaks to take advantage of who is playing.

“Obviously, we want to maximize the group as we do every year, but we have talked a lot about learning every day, all the way until districts. We want to create a peak for ourselves and hit it at the right time.”

Superior Central opened its season at L’Anse on Tuesday and will have its home opener next Tuesday against Hannahville. The Cougars also host Rock Mid-Pen on Dec. 5.

“We need to stay healthy, learn every night and stay together during the tough nights,” Ely said. “Really, my hope for the first few games is that our players have something to show for all the work they put in this summer.”

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We need to stay healthy, learn every night and stay together during the tough nights. Really, my hope for the first few games is that our players have something to show for all the work they put in this summer.

—Adam
Ely

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