New Boonville boys' basketball coach Schoonover hopes to turn fortunes around

BOONVILLE, Ind. – It’s not going to happen overnight. But slowly, surely, new Boonville High School boys basketball coach Brian Schoonover hopes to change the culture of a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2011.

The 2015-16 Pioneers finished 12-12, then slumped to 3-21 last year, former coach Steve Altstadt’s final season.

“It’s just hard work, grinding every day and playing hard,” Schoonover said after the Pioneers lost their season opener, 77-60, to visiting Castle on Tuesday night. “What we’re trying to do is be tough physically. I know in the first half we outrebounded Castle. We were physical like we’re trying to be. Mentally, we have to get over the hump and teach them how to win. That is what we’re doing.”

Boonville head coach Brian Schoonover communicates with his players as they play Castle at Boonville High School Tuesday night. The Knights beat the Pioneers 77-60.

He learned from one of the masters at Tecumseh the past four years in veteran coach Kevin Oxley. Boonville will travel to Tecumseh next Tuesday.

“He’s a great mentor,” Schoonover said. “I have all the respect in the world for coach Oxley. He taught me a lot.”

Glen Rouch, a 6-foot-6 senior sharpshooter who will play college ball at the University of Southern Indiana, scored 16 of his team-high 26 points in the first half against Castle. Like Schoonover, Rouch said the Pioneers just ran out of gas after posting a 40-34 halftime lead. He said Boonville rode a wave of energy in the first half and began to believe in itself.

Boonville head coach Brian Schoonover prowls the sideline against Castle at Boonville High School Tuesday night. The Knights beat the Pioneers 77-60.

“In the second half, we were playing not to lose instead of playing to win,” Rouch said.

He said Schoonover has brought renewed enthusiasm to the Pioneers’ program.

Schoonover said Boonville continued to play hard in the second half, but the shots weren’t falling.

“Sometimes it’s just that simple,” he said. “(Rouch) is very good, as you saw in the first half. But we’ve got some other nice players. We have three kids along with Glen who can put the ball in the hole.”

Ben Meier, a 6-foot junior, scored 13 points against the Knights. Hunter Bruce, a 6-4 sophomore, contributed 10 and Rylan Hicks, a 6-2 junior, added nine.

“We ran our offense pretty good, but we didn’t have the fluidity we will have in mid-January,” Schoonover said. “Part of it is having a new system. I’m excited about this bunch."