2022-2023 Crestwood boys basketball preview

Jonah Rosenblum, Record-Courier
·2 min read
Crestwood's Dakota Johnson was on fire beyond the 3-point line at Field High School on November 30, 2021.
Crestwood's Dakota Johnson was on fire beyond the 3-point line at Field High School on November 30, 2021.

Head Coach: Josh Jakacki (22nd season)

Assistant Coaches: Bob Lieberth, Jake Lieberth, Matthew Dente, Mason Jakacki, David Mayle

2021-2022 Record: 1-22 (0-10 Chagrin Valley Conference)

Returning Letterwinners (11): Dakota Johnson, Charlie Schweickert, Ty Fannin, Augie Schweickert, Jimmy Peters, James Durham, Josh Delaney, Josh Eyerman, Bryce Geil, Steven Lincoln, Nate Walker

Letterwinners Lost (4): Louie Blasiole, Aidan Gutglueck, Jake Rowe, Seth Walker

Outlook: The Red Devils are still young, with a single senior, but with 11 returning letterwinners, they are quite a bit more experienced than a season ago when they took their lumps, finishing 1-22. Among Crestwood's rookies-turned-veterans, Dakota Johnson showed plenty of promise his freshman season and appears ready to usher in a new era of big-time basketball in Mantua. But Johnson is far from alone as Ty Fannin and Augie Schweickert also have experience and athleticism up top, while Charlie Schweickert brings strong shooting to the frontcourt.

Backcourt: After averaging 12.4 points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals as a freshman, Dakota Johnson "worked hard on his game this off-season" and "has a chance to be one of the better guards in the area." Fellow sophomore Augie Schweickert (4.5 ppg, 1.5 spg, 1.1 apg) "came on strong at the end of the season and showed he was ready for bigger minutes." Also expect junior Ty Fannin (3.1 ppg, 1.3 spg, 1.2 apg), a "quick guard who has steadily improved over the last few years," to play a big role, particularly on the defensive end. Josh Eyerman, Crestwood's lone senior, has "shown good improvement," while sophomore James Durham boasts a "long, wiry frame that leads to a lot of deflections."

Frontcourt: Charlie Schweickert "demonstrated last year he can connect from deep" and is already "one of the league's better long-distance shooters." Fellow junior forward Jimmy Peters is "very physical" and will "be a solid contributor on the block for us." Sophomore Steven Lincoln and junior Nathan Walker will also play forward, while junior Josh Delaney will play center with "the ability to score around [the] basket and step out on [the] perimeter."

The Road Ahead: The Red Devils have the chance to test themselves against three Portage County foes early: Field (Dec. 19), Rootstown (Dec. 29) and Waterloo (Jan. 5). Crestwood also has an intriguing home opener against Chagrin Valley Conference foe Wickliffe (Dec. 3), while its game against Cardinal (Dec. 15), one of the CVC's top teams, is also intriguing.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: 2022-2023 Crestwood boys basketball preview