Port Huron boys basketball aims to 'create a new tradition' of success
Twenty placards are fixed to a wall inside the gymnasium at Port Huron High School. Each one represents a varsity sport, with the years of past championships listed underneath.
They're a reminder of the Big Reds' prior athletic accomplishments. But for Conner Rosenau, the boys basketball banner is more like a thorn in his side.
"If you look up on that board there, it's been 18 years since we won a conference championship," said Rosenau, a senior forward on the boys basketball team. "It's been seven years since we even had a winning season. That's been (the goal) from day one ... that's what we want."
The Big Reds enter the 2022-23 campaign with a shared objective — give their championship board a long-awaited update.
"We want to win our league, for sure," senior guard Deonte Foy said. "And to try to make it out of (the district tournament).
"I think the (MAC) Silver is up for the taking," said Port Huron coach Jeremy Rosenau, who is also Conner's dad. "We haven't won a league title since 2004. So that's (a drought) we want to to break and create a new tradition here."
This year would be an ideal time to start, as the Big Reds boast one of the more experienced teams in the Silver.
Port Huron has six seniors and three juniors on a roster with 11 players. Meanwhile, conference rivals Marine City, Marysville and St. Clair all lost their leading scorers from last season to graduation.
"The potential is there," Jeremy Rosenau said. "But at the end of the day, we have got to execute. I think we're a team that's got to share the ball. We've got to create for one another. Ultimately, though, if you can't take care of the ball, it doesn't matter."
He's referring to the Big Reds' 53-42 home loss to Utica in the season opener Wednesday. Costly turnovers doomed a Port Huron squad that had the advantage in size, speed and seniority.
"You can't have that many turnovers as a team," Conner Rosenau said. "When we only lose by 11 (in a game like this), that's clearly a team we should beat."
"We're trying to get back into (the flow of the season)," Foy said. "We've just got to get more practice and try to come back out with a win next time."
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Big Reds. Senior center Dwynell Benjamin (who stands at 6-foot-6) finished with a team-high 10 points — eight of which came in the second half.
"Dwynell has put a lot of work in," Jeremy Rosenau said. "He just started playing as a sophomore and he's worked hard on his game the last two years. So we're hoping this year that he has a coming-out party."
Port Huron is also looking for an added boost from its two sophomore guards in Garrett James and Jaxon Rowe.
"We think they can play," Jeremy Rosenau said. "They bring a different element to our team that we don't have otherwise."
Most of the remaining players are no strangers to the program. Conner Rosenau operates as a point forward. Foy is exceptional finishing at the rim. Another senior, Nate Oriel, is the team's 3-point marksman.
"We're really good on defense when we're working together and we're all locked into it," Foy said. "Offensively, (we find) our shooters for kick-out 3s."
"We've got a lot of guys that can drive to the basket," Conner Rosenau said.
If there's such a thing as a wake-up call in the season's first game, the Big Reds received theirs Wednesday. They were silent as they filed out of the locker room.
Conner Rosenau walked to the sideline and sat near the coaches box. He stared at the empty gym for a few minutes.
"We've got to toughen up," Conner Rosenau said. "All that (ability) means nothing if you can't get someone off of you. So we've just got to get better."
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron boys basketball aims to 'create a new tradition' of success
