Three in a row

This year, the Saratoga Middle Panthers has had another successful basketball season under the guidance of Head Coach Bob Keel. Under Keel’s leadership, the Panthers have had a three-year straight undefeated conference streak.

Keel’s basketball squad only had two losses to the Laramie Scouts, but his squad dominated their conference and it was not an easy task especially the teams they had to face. The Panther’s A Team had to face different challenges each year.

Some of the players had limited playing time but stepped up when they got opportunities to play. Keel said, at the beginning of the year, it was a little rough because they were trying to figure themselves out and how to work together. He said by mid-year, his team put it together and played their best basketball until the end of the season.

“Our team is kind of unique this year,” Keel said. “The majority of the guys who started for the A Team … did not get enough playing time on the Varsity last year and it’s because the freshman group that is now in high school was fairly big and talented, (so) they got that majority of playing time. It was a unique challenge to put these boys in. They are a group that listens well and works hard in practice.”

Keel said that there are not necessarily big star players on the team but are good solid players who give it their all on the court. He said that he had a total of 24 boys that came out and played which included a great B Team that was able to play with an A Team player.

“We probably had the best B Team that we’ve ever had in my six years of coaching,” Keel said. “They are just phenomenal and we also had a skills team which is below the B Team and they also work extremely hard. They are such a fun group of boys to coach.”

Keel said his players will have a bright future as they move up to high school and play under Saratoga Panthers Head Coach Jason Williams and Assistant Coach Joe Johnston. He said both Williams and Johnston are phenomenal coaches who will help his kids mature and grow when they get to the next level.

“Jason Williams is a wonderful coach who is going to be able to take these boys and take them from the middle school level and turn them into good high school basketball players,” Keel said. “It is a difficult transition because the high school game is a lot faster and a lot more intense which requires a lot more basketball knowledge. So it will be a difficult transition but I have confidence that these boys will go to Coach Williams and he will take them to the next level. I see them adding some good things to this team next year that’s going to help Coach Willams’ squad to move forward.”

All-in-all, Keel feels his boys are ready to play in the competitive Southwest 1A Conference. Williams said he is impressed with what Keel has done for his middle school basketball program. He believes the high school basketball program is going to be even better with growing players coming out of the Keel’s program.

“The middle school program has been very successful these past 3 years and Coach Keel has done a great job with them,” Williams said. “Moving to the next level always has its challenges and it is Coach Johnston’s and my job to help the young guys navigate that next step and help them to be successful. We feel like the future of Saratoga basketball is bright.”