Experience and talent is not scarce in the Rainier High School boys basketball program entering the 2024-25 season.
But head coach Ben Sheaffer is keyed in on a couple of intangibles that make just as significant an impact on wins and losses as the X’s and O’s: positivity and leadership. As an educator and a coach, he has spent a lot of time learning what students and student athletes respond to and reading about establishing a positive mindset.
Sheaffer has even taken a couple of students under his wing for an offseason book study focusing on Jeff Janssen’s book “The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual.” His efforts are geared toward developing this senior-heavy team into what he calls a “player-led” team.
“We talk about wanting kids to lead, but we never teach them what that looks like and what it sounds like,” Sheaffer said. “I actually have a couple of eighth graders that I’m working with in preparation for what we’ll be losing next year and trying to develop from within. I think that’s probably my passion, maybe even more than coaching basketball, is teaching the character traits and the leadership.”
Senior triplet guards Jake Meldrum, Josh Meldrum and James Meldrum were once part of the book study and have stepped up as leaders this year because of that time spent in the offseason.
“It helped me, Josh and Jimmy be better people. It helps not just with basketball, but through life,” Jake Meldrum said. “I like how all the younger kids are looking up to us. It’s good for them to see that for next year, and then they will lead next year when we’re gone.”
The Mountaineers, who finished with a 13-9 record and 8-5 mark in the Central 2B League last season, have plenty of veterans who have helped enforce Sheaffer’s goals of players taking command. Players have organized open gyms, led drills during practice and encouraged teammates every day, he said.
The Meldrum triplets have played varsity basketball together since eighth grade and return for one last ride, along with forward Hunter Howell. The quartet will make up the majority of the starting lineup, with budding sophomore guard Peyton Sheaffer rounding out the rotation.
Off the bench, lefty forward Jordan Pringle, Yelm transfer Nehemiah Linson, junior guard Matheus McKitrick and sophomore forward Jacob Hanson will provide depth for the Mountaineers.
Ben Sheaffer said the team has “put in some positivity standards” this offseason after struggling with it in the past.
“We’ve been really intentional with our guys about moving on to the next play and controlling the controllables and just focusing on what they can do to help us play winning basketball,” he said. “We know we have the ability, but sometimes we’ve gotten into some problems where we focus on the wrong stuff. We’re recognizing that failure is an opportunity to grow.”
The Mountaineers got off to a blazing start last winter, winning six straight after losing their season opener. During its win streak, Rainier snapped a 14-game losing streak to Adna, blowing out the Pirates on the road, 65-45, on Dec. 14. But some nagging offensive inconsistencies caught up to the Mountaineers in the second half of the season as they lost five of their final seven games. They left the district tournament without a win to close out the year.
In the first week of practice, Sheaffer and his coaching staff have installed the two-second rule on offense, which will force more ball movement and better decision-making from ball handlers.
“The first two seconds are yours on the catch, but then after that, if you don’t have the shot or you’re not able to drive, we’re looking to swing the ball,” Sheaffer said. “Against better teams, we’ve had a tendency to over dribble and hold the ball, and the offense gets stagnant.”
The defensive intensity was one of Rainier’s strengths last year, and Sheaffer expects that to remain true in 2024-25, despite losing a pair of seniors Jared Sprouffske and Johnny Boesch who were stout defenders.
What may be harder for the Mountaineers to replace is Boesch’s three-point shooting prowess, an ability that sometimes masked some of Rainier’s offensive woes.
“We’ve got to shoot the ball better. Last year, our three-point shooting percentage was lower than we’d like to see it,” Sheaffer said. “That tells us a couple of things. One, we’ve got to get in the gym a little bit more, which we have. And two, we’ve got to look to get easier opportunities and try to hunt the paint more and not settle for the perimeter shots.”
One of Sheaffer’s goals for this season is to bring Rainier into the running for a C2BL title, while his seniors are chasing something bigger. The program has not qualified for the 2B state tournament since the 1996-97 season, and the Mountaineers have not placed at state since they earned third place in 1990-91.
“My individual goal is just to make it to state. I don’t care how many points I get. As long as I can help the team out, that’s all I care about,” Josh Meldrum said. “I think we’re pretty close. There’s a lot of good teams, but I think we’ll be close.”
Rainier opened the season with the first of just four non-league games this season at home against Tenino in which the Mountaineers defeated the Beavers, 54-36. The Mountaineers kick off C2BL play with a home date against league newcomer Mossyrock on Friday, Dec. 6, and play a total of 15 league contests.
