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Minico High School
School Info
Conference: Great Basin (West) Conference
Classification: 4A
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Head Coach: Ty Shippen
Years as Head Coach: 2nd season
Previous Experience: 10 years as Skyline’s Head Boys Coach, 1 year college grad assistant
Record Last Year: 7-16
State Titles: None
Assistant Coaches:
Doug Manning & Carl Bailey
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Team Preview:
Written by: Sven Alskog
While a 7-16 record last season may not be anything to write home about for the Minico Spartans in their first year of the Ty Shippen era, the new year looks to bring plenty of promise with the return of four starters.
After coming over to Rupert having spent 10 years roaming the sideline in Idaho Falls for the Skyline Grizzlies, Shippen enters the second year of a rebuilding effort in his new territory.
It’s an effort that will be led by a motion offense, one of the main areas where the Spartans struggled in the previous campaign, being held below 50 points in 15 of their 22 games, losing all but two of these contests. For a resurgence this season, vast improvement much be shown on the offensive side of things.
The growing pains from the first year of the new program should pay dividends in the long run.
“We were young last year and under a new system,” said Shippen. “We’re still young but we have experience. We have several starters back and are getting healthy. Players are growing and developing.”
Starters Peyton Bailey (PG), Josh Pilling (G), Matthew Brumley (F) and Nico Chavez (G) all return, giving the Spartans four returning sources of big minutes. All except Chavez will still have another year of eligibility in Rupert following this season, giving hope for the future.
Brumley, a 6’4” sophomore, will pair with 6’2” senior post Josh Barclay to give Minico an inside presence.
With so much youth on the floor at all times, constant improvement will be expected throughout the season for the team.
“They worked very hard over the offseason to improve,” said Shippen. “We have been preaching and teaching the fundamentals.”
The 4A Great Basin Conference was tough last season, with most of Minico’s matchups in conference action being of the blowout variety. A continued emphasis on improving on the defensive side of the ball is where the Spartans hope to make up for this in the new year.
“We will work hard to be a much improved defensive team,” added Shippen.
For Minico to be successful, newcomers Jeremy Stevenson Chase Chandler will be expected to step up and provide quality minutes most likely off the bench.
Overall, things appear to be going in the right direction for the Spartans according to their head man.
“Our players are great young men on and off the floor and fun to coach,” he stated. “They are individually and collectively determined to have a successful season this year. They will be a fun team to watch and cheer for.”
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