Bosch reflects on 2019-2020 Mahomet-Seymour boys’ basketball season
By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
When Ryan Bosch reflects on the 2019-20 Mahomet-Seymour boys’ basketball season, it will be for the composite 32-game schedule.
Moments after Friday’s game, a 64-48 loss to Urbana in the championship game of the Class 3A Rantoul Regional, Bosch told his squad, “I won’t remember you off this game.”
With good reason.
The 32-game schedule provided an abundance of highlights:
— The Bulldogs won 21 games;
— After finishing five games below .500 last year, M-S ended 10 games above .500 this season, the second greatest one-season improvement this century. The 2008-09 team improved by 11 games;
— The Bulldogs produced a late season 10-game winning streak, which included victories over three teams that went on to win regional titles on Friday (Urbana, Normal Community and Normal West);
— For the first time in school history, the Bulldogs have five 20-win seasons in a six-year stretch in boys’ basketball;
— M-S had stellar individual performances throughout the year, whether it was repeated defensive shutdown efforts by Cole Lener or the scoring exploits of Grant Coleman, who broke a 38-year-old single-game scoring record with a 44-point outburst at Mattoon. Coleman also set the single-season scoring mark with 678 points.
“I reminded the underclassmen the torch has been passed and they have a lot to live up to now,” Bosch said.
In the rematch with Urbana, M-S took the early lead, building a 14-11 advantage after eight minutes.
The Tigers roared into a 31-26 halftime cushion. The Bulldogs pulled within four points in the third quarter, but faced a 45-39 deficit entering the fourth period.
“The first quarter, we had the game played the way we wanted,” Bosch said. “We got our defense set and were able to guard them.
“We allowed them to hang around with offensive rebounds in the second quarter and it turned into a track meet for about 90 seconds, and they were able to get back into the game.”
The loss ended a 10-game winning streak for the Bulldogs.
“It has been a fun last five or six weeks,” Bosch said. “This year will be one to look back on for a number of years.
“How many times did they respond, going into hostile environments and never losing focus?”
Braden Finch scored 13 points for the Bulldogs. Coleman added 12 and Eli Warren contributed nine points.
Lener grabbed eight rebounds and Kobe Essien had seven. Lener also ended with six assists. Finch and Warren collected three assists apiece.
Friday’s regional finale was at a neutral court, but the environment was comforting for M-S.
“We had a great student section,” Bosch said.
The Bulldogs end the season with a 21-11 record.
Coleman led – or shared – the team-lead in scoring in 25 games. Finch led – or shared – the team-lead in five games.
M-S had a balanced rebounding effort.
Lener led – or shared the team-lead – in 15 games. Coleman was tops in 12 games and Essien led in nine games.
Coleman and Lener each had 12-rebound games.
“The big thing,” Bosch said, “is that the kids bought in and played the way we wanted them to play as a team and as individuals.
“We said if they would be coachable, we’ll have a lot of success.”
Coleman finished fourth on the all-time M-S scoring chart. Brett Melton had 1,872 points. Craig Buchanan totaled 1,653. Cory Noe had 1,615 points. Coleman ended with 1,537 career points.
Coleman was one of five Bulldog seniors who ended their careers at Rantoul and made an appearance in the game. The others are Mason Butler, Essien, Lener and Nic Liagridonis.
“They might leave Bulldog basketball,” Bosch said, “but Bulldog basketball will never leave them.”
