Comeback season for Niwot boys basketball tips off on Dec. 2

The Niwot boys basketball team didn't see much success during the abbreviated 2020-21 season, but the "hard lessons" they learned during the 1-13 campaign should pay off in a much improved 2021-22, third-year head coach Clayton Wittrock said.

"The fact that we are bringing in a more experienced group is big for us," Wittrock said. "I think you coach a team differently when they've been in those tough situations and faced some pressure ... I'm excited to see us be able to go have a decent rotation, and have guys that we can trust to give us minutes, which should keep us fresh, should keep us in games and keep us competitive."

In fact, Wittrock sees a lot to be excited about for the upcoming season, aside from the hard-won experience. Returning to the lineup is senior forward Rowan Granat, who sat out last year with a leg injury. During his sophomore season, which ended with a postseason appearance, Granat came off the bench in all 24 of Niwot's games, and was responsible for 52 points and 38 rebounds.

Joining him on the varsity is guard Dev Mudukatore, another third-year varsity senior. In 14 games as a junior, he averaged eight points and 2.4 rebounds per game, and had 36 total assists. Wittrock said he is expecting both to set the pace for Niwot this season, both on and off the court.

"They have that other level of experience, and they're that connection piece to what it looks like to be successful," Wittrock said. "They're the guys I go to first."

Also back with the varsity this season are seniors Stephen Sahaj (F) and Walt Van Riper (G), plus juniors Jerek Funkhouser (F) and Mateusz Swat (F). Seniors Sergio Munoz, Evan Powers, and Craig Wright will also be joining the varsity lineup this year.

Rounding out the varsity is a crop of exciting newcomers, headed by freshman Jack Jarvis, who will add a new dynamic to the squad, Wittrock said.

"He's battling for a starting spot, and I think he's going to be a special kid for the next four years. It's exciting because it pushes the other guys to be better, and it adds to our level of talent."

Wittrock is also expecting big things from a pair of sophomore transfers from Shining Mountain Waldorf School, whom he described as "very coachable."

On the court, Wittrock plans to go back to the defense-first formula that produced a 13-10 regular season record and playoff appearance during his first year as head coach. But he is hoping to offset that with more balance on offense, and believes he has the pieces in place to pull it off.

"If we shoot with confidence and we play within ourselves, we have times where we can put four guys and at times, even five guys on the floor, who are all dangerous three-point shooters. When they're in a rhythm and they're playing at game speed, we can hit some shots."

All that said, Wittrock isn't expecting an instant transformation, nor is he expecting to contend for a conference title this season. With three Class 4A playoff teams ahead of them in the Longs Peak League, Niwot's conference portion of the schedule is daunting. Additionally, in the three weeks since tryouts opened, the Cougars have been beset by a rash of illness and injury that threatens to derail its progress, and Wittrock warned that the wins might be slow to come in December. Fortunately for the coach, among those hard lessons of 2020-21 was at least one that should make any bumps in the road a little easier to bear.

"The past year has taught me more patience," he said. "I think we'll probably see some more ups and downs, but I'm more ready to let that be a growth opportunity for us."

The 2021-22 Niwot boys basketball season kicks off on Dec. 2 with a three-day tournament at home.