The postseason road for Midland Trail basketball under the current four-class system has been rocky to say the least.
A class-A school under the three-class system, the Patriots now play triple-A in boys and girls basketball.
This season, however, veteran head coach Curtis Miller believes his boys squad could make some noise by the time the postseason rolls around.
“I think we have a chance to be pretty good this year,” Miller said. “Out of all the years we have been in this section I feel like this year is the year we can be competitive.”
A large portion of the confidence comes from having four players back that played solid varsity minutes.
Eli Campbell and Jaden Gladwell both started last year, while Justin Cooper and Landon Syner were the first two players off the bench a year ago.
Miller is expecting a big season out of Campbell who has proven he can score the basketball.
“Eli is an offensive machine and a charge taker. He can shoot the ball and tied a school record for 3’s in a game last year where he was nine-for-nine,” Miller said. “All he has done since the end of last year is play basketball. He is ready to go.”
Gladwell also had a solid junior season, but this year he will be back in a more comfortable role for Trail.
“Jaden is probably our best defensive player. Having the new addition this year allows us to take Jaden off the point guard position. He played point guard as a necessity because we didn’t really have a point guard,” Miller said. “I am looking for an even better year because he can do what he does best. He is a good off the ball player. He is also a coaches son, so he is smart, and he moves well without the ball.”
The new addition to the team that will man the point guard position is senior Briar Bailes who played at Nicholas County last year.
Bailes averaged 15 points and five rebounds per game in the 2022-23 campaign.
“He is legit. Him coming over made us much better than we were going to be,” Miller said. “He is the hardest worker I have had since I have been at Trail. The kid is a gym rat.”
Younger brother Payton Bailes is just a sophomore, but he too has impressed Miller in the early practice sessions.
“Payton really plays well. People probably don’t really know him,” Miller said. “He is right up there with Eli Campbell shooting the basketball. He can start or come off the bench depending on the match-ups.”
Cooper worked most of the season as the sixth man last year, but was pressed into a starting role late in the season due to injury.
“I would label him as a stretch-forward. He has a good shot, but he can jump out of the gym,” Miller said. “The kid is crazy athletic. I think the addition of all the guards we have will really help him. He is sneaky-good and he finishes very well.”
Brown ended the football season at quarterback, but will be the post presence on the basketball court for the Patriots.
“He is a big kid by Trail standards. He is our 6-foot-1 center,” Miller said, playfully. “He is not a true post player, but he can play in the post.”
Miller is also encouraged by the depth of his squad which is something new for the Patriots.
“This is the deepest team that I have had as far as feeling comfortable putting them in the game,” Miller said. “I am pretty confident we can play eight kids. Levi Skaggs will be the eighth, but he is injured right now with a broken hand. He probably won’t be back until mid-December. We are usually only like six deep, so it will help with how we play this year.”
Midland Trail opens the season Dec. 8 when it hosts Independence in the battle of the Patriots.
