Although the Garfield G-Men boys’ basketball team graduated one of their bigger senior classes in recent memory, the expectations are still in place for the new collection of players to leave a lasting impression on the 2025-26 season.
“There is a lot of excitement for our guys,” said Coach Matt Hill. “We lost a big senior class but in high school sports, there is always someone waiting for their opportunity. We have a lot of guys that are excited for their opportunities this year.”
For the first time in 15 years, the G-Men will open the season with a new leader at the helm, as Hill, who previously served as an assistant coach last year, has succeeded longtime Coach Andy Olesky as the new boys’ head coach.
Although it will be Hill’s first season as a head coach, his last six years spent in several coaching roles around the boys’ program gives him plenty of familiarity with the team he has inherited.
With not as much varsity experience or size returning, Hill said that the G-Men will try to push the pace and outhustle its opposition with their usual gritty style of play.
After seeing six seniors depart, the G-Men return only one varsity starter from last year’s starting five in senior guard Brandyn Bogucki.
The 5-foot-11 Bogucki returns for his third season as a varsity regular, having averaged 5.6 points, 2.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 24 games last year.
“We will expect a lot of Brandyn this year,” said the first-year coach. “I think when you look at our scoring, there are obviously a lot of guys that are going to have to step into new roles and Brandyn will be our leader and he will take on a bigger responsibility helping us with scoring.”
Joining Bogucki in the starting five is junior forward Devin Bates, who becomes a full-time starter after tallying 4.2 points, 0.3 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 0.3 steals in 19 games as a bench player in the 2024-25 campaign.
“Devin at times will be tasked to guard guards, but he is a physical strong kid and will also guard bigs on the other team and we will look to him taking on more of a scoring role this year but also help us on the rebounding side of things,” Hill noted of the 6-foot junior.
The G-Men’s lone big man in the rotation will be senior forward Colton Miller, who will see his first varsity action after having not played basketball for the last several years.
“For a kid who has not played basketball for a couple of years, he has surprised me with how he has jumped back into it,” Hill said of the 6-foot-4 senior. “He really helps us with rebounding. He is extremely athletic as well, with just catching and finishing around the rim.”
Junior guard Oliver Walker will fill out the G-Men’s backcourt alongside Bogucki. The 6-foot-2 guard posted 2.3, 1.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 in 18 games last season.
“He is a really good playmaker, does good things with the ball in his hand, is a pretty good perimeter shooter and he again is able to pressure the ball defensively,” Hill added.
According to Hill, Garfield will also expect big contributions from some newcomers to the program, including sophomore guard Jared Cardinal, freshman guard Nate Grabowski and sophomore guard Mac Haney.
Hill said that the 5-foot-10 Cardinal brings a high basketball I.Q. to the team despite being an underclassman. The 5-foot-10 Grabowski profiles as a capable shooter; he makes the big adjustment from playing junior high basketball to varsity basketball and the 6-foot-1 Haney’s length makes him an ideal three-and-d player as one of the better perimeter shooters on the team and also a strong finisher at the basket.
Rounding out the rotation will be junior guard Collin McGranahan, junior guard Nate Baczkowski and senior guard guard William Simon.
Although the G-Men will once again have a late start to the season delayed a week due to the long playoff run by the football team, Hill said that the players are already getting into basketball shape.
“From a strength and conditioning point, we definitely benefit as most of our football guys are weight room guys and that helps them in basketball as well and the actual endurance and conditioning part,” he said.
The G-Men’s season begins when they welcome Portage County rival Rootstown to the JAG Fieldhouse in Garrettsville on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
