Vikings have several experienced players this basketball season

WAUSA — Year six as the head coach of the Wausa boys basketball program could be a boon for Tim Schindler.

After finishing 7-17 last winter, the Vikings could be loaded for their first winning campaign since Schindler’s second year in charge when they went 12-10.

Seniors Brandon Kristensen, Jon Nissen and Devin Rosberg; juniors Jaxon Claussen, Josh Wattier, Addison Smith and Tug Dawson; and sophomores Cashe Carlson, Cade Wakeley and Henry Kumm all return and their collective experience won’t hurt.

Throw in sophomores Tucker Wright, Matt Rumsey and Trevor Thompson and freshmen Brady Bloomquist, Jake Munter, Colton Baue and Skylar Jensen and the depth is obvious.

“We have a good returning core of players: Our current seniors and juniors got valued experience last year,” Schindler said. “We are very capable at the offensive and defensive end. We did a lot of good things toward the end of last year.

The Vikes will be going up against some taller teams this year, and will have to adjut for that, he said.

“We do not have a lot of size on the team. We have to rebound on the defensive end better this year. We can’t allow second chance points,” Schindler said.

The conference should be a slog once again and Schindler expects Wynot and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge to lead the way, but not before his Vikings put up a fight.

“We have high expectations with so many returning players,” Schindler said. “Wausa is excited for the challenge and Addison looks to take the next step also. We look to be playing better and better each week and hopefully playing our best ball by districts.”

Claussen is on pace to surpass 1,000 points this winter.

Kristensen, a long-time contributor for the Vikings, has seen the team trend in the right direction during the preseason.

“We look like we have a good team under us, and we have played a lot of basketball together,” Kristensen said. “The difference between this year and past years is our cohesiveness. We have a lot of players that have had a lot of playing time on and off the high school court. We are very familiar with each other.”

The Viking squad understands how coach Schindler runs the offense, and can run that offense well, now, Kristensen said.

“Our strengths are the understanding of the offense we are running now and knowing what the guy next to you is going to do and how to work off that,” he said. “Our defense is coming along nicely, too.”

Kristensen said the Vikings are going to need to take the step by developing a strong work ethic and work through the mistakes.

“We have to address what they were, how to fix them and never do them again,” Kristensen said. “We are going to practice hard and become a bunch of gym rats basically.”

Kristensen will be focused on playing in the post season.

“We basically have five (all around) basketball players out on the court all at the same time,” he said. “Anyone can step into any role onto the court.”