Lakewood Ranch basketball tasked with redeveloping chemistry

The Lakewood Ranch boys basketball players had one final team dinner on Monday, celebrating the program’s accomplishments this season and for the previous three.

Mustangs coach Jeremy Schiller will take a few weeks off before turning his attention to the 2017-2018 season. Left behind, hopefully, will be the crushing emotions of a 54-49 loss to eventual state champion Sickles in the state semifinals.

Even with their historic run over the past three years, it won't be easy for Schiller or any of his players to move on from the semifinal defeat. The program also must overcome the loss of its coveted senior class.

Those eight seniors helped change Lakewood Ranch from a school where students ended up playing basketball to a school that basketball players wanted to attend. They have been the core of the team for two seasons so Schiller’s challenge for next season will be creating the same chemistry among the players who will have to fill their roles.

The good news for Lakewood Ranch is next year’s team will include Evan Spiller, Jackson Kelley and Damien Gordon.

Spiller made the key steal at the end of the regional final against St. Petersburg to lock up that victory, and has shown great ability as a distributor of the ball. Kelley became more of a presence in the post as the season progressed. Gordon might have been the most talented player this season, and scored a game-high 20 points against Sickles despite going just 2-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Schiller knows he has a nucleus to build around, which is why he believes next year’s Mustangs have a shot to return to Lakeland. They may not match the depth of this year’s unit, but the Lakewood Ranch junior varsity did go 19-3, so there is raw talent in the pipeline as well.

Schiller said the development of the returning trio as leaders will be vital. Before, he said, they could rely on the older players to be vocal and motivate the team through tough situations. Now, they’ll be the role models.

The leadership culture established over the last four seasons must be sustained. After the semifinal, Gordon expressed disappointment that he did not make a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the game that would have tied it. Taking responsibility in that moment is a sign that Gordon can develop into the leader the Mustangs need.

As far as forgetting the cruel ending to the season, all the Mustangs and their fans will wonder if Sam Hester, the school's all-time leading scorer, hadn't been injured (ankle) early, they would have been state champions.

Schiller thinks it’s possible, even probable, that having the team’s “closer” available would have made up the five-point margin of defeat.

“I think I will never get over it for Sam (Hester),” Schiller said. “My heart will forever be broken.”

Schiller also thanked the Lakewood Ranch community for its support all season long, and hopes the experience of reaching the Final Four will inspire a drive in everyone, the community included, to get back next season and achieve even more success.