A strong finish to last season and the fact four starters return have the Salem Tigers excited about the prospects for the 2025-26 campaign.
The Tigers are coming off a season they finished 14-15 overall and 3-4 in the South-Central Association (SCA).
And at the end of the season Salem won four of its last six games, advancing to the Class 4 District 3 Tournament championship game, where it lost a 42-41 heartbreaker to Owensville.
From that run and last season’s successes, this season’s Tigers have gained confidence that they can contend not only for a SCA championship but a district crown as well.
Salem is scheduled to open the season in the Big Cat Classic at Licking Nov. 25. The event includes girls’ and boys’ junior varsity and varsity games, starting at 4 p.m.
Salem’s Blue and White Scrimmage is slated for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14.
Tiger head coach Jared Patterson said the Tigers are still looking for a jamboree to compete in as well.
“It’s been really good,” Patterson said of Tiger preseason practice, which began Nov. 3. “We have a lot of high expectations. This summer we worked really hard. In the summer we were missing some kids, but did really well. And the fall has been really good. We lost three seniors who graduated who are really good kids. But we have three guys who were double-figure scorers back, which really helps.”
Patterson has 28 players on the roster for the Tigers freshman, junior varsity and varsity squads.
Leading the charge are returning starters 5-10 senior guard Braiden Gapsch, 5-10 senior guard Lincoln Thomas, 5-9 junior guard Brody Ray and 6-2 senior forward/post Gavin Sapaugh.
Other lettermen back are 6-2 senior forward Hayden Ragsdale and 6-5 senior Dannon Berry.
A player who could end up being the fifth starter is 6-4 sophomore forward Eli Wofford. Others expected to play varsity roles are 5-8 junior guard Ryan Cunningham, 6-0 junior guard Tyson Connor, 6-4 junior forward Ryan Halinar and 6-5 senior forward Isaac Headrick.
Gapsch averaged 16.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals last season, shooting 40% from three-point range and 79% from the free throw line. Thomas averaged 10 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 44% from three-point range and 81% of free throws. Sapaugh averaged 10.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and shot 52% from the field. Ray averaged five points. Gapsch was All-SCA and all-district while Thomas was all-district and Sapaugh all-conference.
“This is the first year I think we can compete for the SCA title,” said Patterson, in his fourth season as Tiger head coach. “Having Thayer and Willow Springs at home is really big. And being one point away from a district championship has our kids excited about this season. We won some big games down the stretch last season and built some good momentum for this year.”
Patterson feels he has the flexibility to be effective both inside and from the perimeter.
“I think we can do a little bit of both,” he said. “We have a mix of both ways to win. We averaged just 55 or 56 points a game last season and are looking to push it a little more this season.”
The Tigers figure to have one of the best backcourts in the conference in Gapsch, Thomas and Ray.
“It’s nice to have Gapsch and Lincoln,” Patterson said. “And Ray is a lot stronger this year. And I feel we’re deeper this year. With Gapsch, a lot of teams got physical with him last year. Now with bigger guys on the floor, there will be smaller guys on him this season.”
The coach says the Tigers will have to stress defense and rebounding throughout the season.
“One of the big focuses for us is physicality,” he said. “Rebounding and defense, we’ve really been harping on this fall. And this year we’re deeper, so we want to get up and go.”
The regular-season schedule:
Nov. 25 - Big Cat Classic at Licking, 4 p.m.
Dec. 1-5 - Sullivan FCNB Bank-It Classic
Dec. 2 - at Belle (freshmen), 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 9 - at Waynesville, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 - St. James, 5 p.m.
Dec. 19 - at Camdenton, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 26-30 - Cabool Holiday Tourney
Jan. 2 - Osage, 5 p.m.
Jan. 6 - at West Plains, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 9 - at Sullivan, 5 p.m.
Jan. 16 - Ava, 6 p.m.
Jan. 19-24 - St. James Invitational
Jan. 20 - at Waynesville (freshmen), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 26-31 - Licking JV Tourney
Jan. 26-29 - Owensville Freshman Tourney
Jan. 27 - Steelville, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 30 - at Owensville, 5 p.m.
Feb. 3 - at Houston, 6 p.m.
Feb. 6 - at Cabool, 6 p.m.
Feb. 10 - Willow Springs, 6 p.m.
Feb. 11-14 - Bourbon JV Tourney
Feb. 13 - Thayer, 6 p.m.
Feb. 17 - at Mtn. View Liberty, 6 p.m.
Feb. 20 - at Mtn. Grove, 6 p.m.
