Morgan Township coach Kevin Krieger calls junior Jaiden Spratley the most improved player in the Porter County Conference.
The 6-foot-2 guard/forward was on the Cherokees’ junior varsity team last season.
Junior Jack Wheeler, meanwhile, has taken over as the point guard. He was the first player off the bench last season.
“Those two have expanded their roles this year, which coincides with our team’s improvement,” Krieger said.
Indeed, with Spratley and Wheeler excelling alongside standout junior guard Keagen Holder, Morgan Township (18-5) won both the PCC round-robin and tournament titles and had a 14-game winning streak until losing to quality opponents East Chicago Central and Lake Station in the past week.
The Cherokees will be seeking their first sectional title since 2011 when they open the Class 1A postseason against Tri-Township (3-17) on Tuesday.
“Their confidence has spread to the rest of the team,” Krieger said of Spratley and Wheeler.
Spratley, in particular, exudes an uncanny level of confidence. He is averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 steals.
“The steps he’s taken, he’s definitely improved a lot,” Wheeler said. “I could see that for sure even in the first couple of games. His confidence skyrocketed. You don’t see many people, especially with not so much varsity experience, get that confident right away. It’s tough to have that, and he had it.”
Spratley, who missed all but two games of his freshman season after suffering a broken left foot, said this is a byproduct of his offseason efforts in the gym.
“It’s all new to me,” he said. “There’s a lot more pressure. The fans enjoy it more, so the environment is better. There’s more competition. It’s just a higher pace, a faster pace.”
Krieger said Morgan Township started its long winning streak when Spratley began playing “consistently.”
“His improvement has helped us tremendously,” Krieger said. “He has a good basketball IQ and can make good decisions, correct decisions, within our offense, which enhances our ball movement.”
Wheeler, who Krieger said is one of the Cherokees’ best defenders, also is their facilitator. He is averaging 12.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals. He averaged 5.3 points last season.
“The offseason after freshman year, that’s when I gained a lot more confidence,” Wheeler said. “Coach Krieger took me in and told me I’d have to play a really big role for us. So that offseason was a really big step for me. And this year has been my biggest step yet.”
Spratley said Wheeler does “everything” for the Cherokees.
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“He has high energy,” Spratley said. “He can bring the ball up the floor. He finds guys. He can get a bucket on anybody any time.
“He’s a good teammate. He’s always encouraging us, giving high-fives. When I’m down, he lifts me up.”
Regardless of what happens in the postseason, Morgan Township should continue on an upswing. Guard Bryant Ricke is the lone senior on the roster.
“It’s been a pleasure to coach them,” Krieger said of Spratley and Wheeler. “Them with Keagen Holder, Bryant Ricke and Hayden Grieger, everybody on the entire team, the chemistry is just phenomenal, and that’s why we’ve been successful this year.
“I thought we’d be competitive. But this has blown my expectations out of the water. The best part of it is everybody gets along with each other. Everybody trusts each other. Everybody’s invested. As a coach, that’s a dream to have. It’s been really fun to be a part of this team because of that.”