The Iola Mustangs practiced for the first time Monday with a new philosophy for their young but athletic basketball team.
For the first time in four years, Iola was without all-time scoring leader Cortland Carson prompting Coach Luke Bycroft to implement a new offensive scheme to better complement the Mustangs’ athleticism and team focus.
“The first day is always boring as far as practice goes, but I’m always excited for the start of the season,” Bycroft said. “It’s Christmas. There is no better day than today. I like a lot of the guys we have coming back. We worked over the summer, and I liked a lot of things they did and the pieces we have.”
Carson is far from the only hole Iola has to fill. Nearly the entire Mustang starting lineup graduated last spring.
With only a handful of seniors, the Mustangs seem in a rebuild but looks may be deceiving with a host of talented juniors and sophomores coming up and looking to make a name for themselves this season.
“I know we’re a little smaller, but if we play with speed, we’ll be one of the best teams in the league,” junior Austin Crooks said.
With a young team, Bycroft sought to quickly break down barriers utilizing situational shooting. By creating high-pressure situations, he hopes to mentally elevate last year’s junior varsity players to varsity long before next week’s Erie Jamboree.
One drill had players spring across the court every time their teammate missed a free throw and repeat the process until every player made a free throw.
“We’re very inexperienced, but I like our athleticism,” Bycroft said. “I like our speed a lot. Our aggressiveness, we’re going to have to drag some aggressiveness out of some of them but I like the pieces we have. We have some shooters, but we have some growing to do.”
One player looking to leave his mark this season is senior forward Brennen Coffield. 
After placing in the top 10 at state last spring in golf, then coming up short of making state in cross country last month, Coffield and fellow seniors hope to be the foundation for a future Pioneer League champion.
“It’s exciting. I’m just trying to leave the place better than I found it,” Coffield said. “We have a great group of sophomores and juniors I feel will carry on the tradition once we leave.”
