SELMA – Coach Matt Luce has built a strong winning culture within his Wapahani boys basketball program since taking over in the 2007-08 season.
In seven years, his teams have never had a losing season, and the Raiders’ 122-35 record in that span equates to a winning percentage of .777.
One of the hallmarks of that success comes from the demand Luce puts on his oldest players. There is an expectation that veteran players will be terrific leaders for the Raiders.
The leadership within the Wapahani program was especially apparent the past three years. When combined with rich talent, the Raiders were 62-9 in those seasons, winning three straight Delaware County Tournament titles and two sectional championships.
The bulk of the recent success is attributable to a group of five players who produced 95 percent of the Raiders’ scoring and rebounding last season. Just as important, those players were strong leaders.
“Yes, we lost some very good players, but we won a lot before they got here, and we’re going to win after them,” Luce said.
In order for that to continue, players such as Bailey Masters will be counted on to step in and fill a leadership void caused by the experience that exited the program with last year’s group of seniors.
Masters, a senior point guard/wing, split time between starting and coming off the bench on last year’s team that was 22-2. This year, Luce expects Masters to provide a leadership presence on a team that features unproven talent.
“He’s a quiet kid, and we’re asking him to talk more and lead more,” Luce said. “Not only the rah-rah and go-go, but we’re talking about telling kids, ‘In this spot, you’re going to do this,’ and that can be hard to do on the court.
“It’s hard to take complete ownership. Bailey will start 95 percent of the time, and we’re expecting a lot of him to not only produce in the stat column but also with vocal leadership and continue the success we’ve had.”
Being vocal is the tricky part for Masters.
Quiet by nature, the “rah-rah” part doesn’t come easily for him. He watched how last year’s best leaders in the senior class executed leadership skills, and he wants to emulate that.
“I just have to remind myself to talk to people and make sure I’m a better leader,” Masters said. “It’s kind of a work in progress, and it’s different than last year.
“Those guys taught me how to play and what to do at all times. And they always talked to each other, kept people in the right spots, kept each other up when something would go wrong.”
Hayden Castor, who is playing varsity full time this year as a junior, says leadership is something Luce emphasizes all the time. Castor believes the leadership skills of last year’s seniors have trickled down to Masters.
“He’s talking a lot more, and he’s always there to pat you on the back or tell you to keep your head up,” Castor said. “If you came to watch one of our practices, the biggest thing (Luce) preaches is talking to your teammates all the time and letting everybody know what to do.
“Leadership is a big thing for us.”
Masters played his role as a complementary component of last year’s team and found a way to make a difference on the court. He scored a little, rebounded a little, and tried to make an impact with hustle plays.
Luce wants him to expand those attributes this year and add a leadership presence.
“Guys look up to him,” Luce said. “When I get on guys, Bailey has to be that guy who says, “Hey let’s go guys, let’s do what he wants, let’s stick together.’
“He’s coming along with that. It’s hard to go from a role player as a fifth or sixth man on a quality team where you kind of took a back seat … and now we don’t want him to blend in; we want him to take a leadership role and not blend in. We want him to succeed.”
Luce is comfortable with Masters leading by example, too.
“You can lead by clapping your hands and slapping guys on the back and putting an arm around young guys and saying, ‘Hey, coach is tough, but stick with him and stick with us,’ ” Luce said. “If Bailey Masters gets six points and four rebounds and his leadership is the best out there, our team is going to succeed.”