The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Brookside aiming to defend LC8 title
Making history last season doesn’t mean much on the court for this year’s Brookside boys basketball team, but it has made a difference for the program.
The 2022-23 Cardinals won the outright conference championship for the first time in nearly 60 years and their first title as a whole since 1991. They won a playoff game for the first time since 2014.
For a long time at Brookside, it felt like a long shot to accomplish these goals. After seeing it happen, now there’s confidence.
“The main thing is that it proves if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, the success is there,” Brookside coach Larry Babics said. “When it doesn’t happen for so long, I think sometimes you’re just saying it to say it. When you actually see and you’re a part of it, I think the belief system is there now.”
Things change from year to year, and this Brookside team will be different. Avery Young graduated as the all-time leading scorer and he will go down as one of, if not the best player to put on the red and white jersey. There’s no replacing a scoring point guard like Young.
The Cardinals are not going to try and do that, it will be a group effort. Losing Young’s production is one thing, but he was the calming influence for last year’s squad. Aidan McLaughlin and Jayden Nazario are this year’s senior captains trying to have that same impact.
“I’m always here for my guys and they know that,” McLaughlin said. “They know that I’ll always be there for them. I’m always willing to lead them, I take a lot of responsibility and pride in it. Coach Babics expects it from me.”
Brookside has a good mix of young and old players. After averaging 17.5 points per game as a sophomore, Nolan Waechter will have a big impact for Brook
side in his junior season. He has continued to expand his game coming from a spotup shooter as a freshman to a player who can do it all for the Cardinals. That includes his marksman shooting touch.
“Nolan will be the guy that everyone will probably try to mark and know where he’s at,” Babics said. “He’s added a lot to his game. He can get to the rim, midrange, everything. He works on his game a lot.”
Waechter’s offensive skills run deep, but he took the opportunity this past summer to improve on the other end of the floor.
“A big jump over the summer was defense and rebounding,” Waechter said. “Coach (Brian) Kelley stressed that a lot over the summer. I had half of my game there, the second half was just lacking a bit. We really focused on getting on the boards and playing defense.”
Waechter will have the ball a lot this year along with Nazario and Brandon Sharpe. Those three will be expected to handle the ball for the most part, but everyone gets a chance with Brookside’s style of play. The Cardinals play a lot of guys, they have a lot of guards and they will go quickly up and down the floor.
In just two seasons, Babics brought a conference title to Brookside. The players have bought into his style of play and are a confident group.
“Me, Aidan, Nolan and Brandon, we’ve been doing this for two years now,” Nazario said. “I feel like everyone on varsity can handle the ball, whoever’s closest can bring it up. It’s the best, I’m so glad.”
“When it doesn’t happen for so long, I think sometimes you’re just saying it to say it. When you actually see and you’re a part of it, I think the belief system is there now.” — Brookside coach Larry Babics