LCA’s Landon Twombly returns for his junior season after leading the team in multiple categories a season ago. (File photo by Mike Deak)

WINONA LAKE – The names and the faces have been in place for some time. Now, as Lakeland Christian Academy enters the 2017-18 boys basketball season, the raised expectations could carve out their destiny.

Head coach Chris Hohm guides the team into his fourth year, and with it, sees the senior years of his first class. The class of Josh McDaniel, Noah Twombly, Trae Harris, Eli Raymond and Jeremy Gross bring a ton of varsity experience.

“For the first time since I have been here, our team is experienced and older,” Hohm said. “We have five seniors and three juniors in our projected rotation. In fact, when these seniors were freshmen, we entered the season with a combined 137 games of experience on the roster. This season we have 404 games of experience. With all of that, we expect our team to come ready to battle in every game.

“There isn’t much that our roster hasn’t seen yet. It will now come down to execution. Our leaders will continue to grow in being aware of more than just their own game. They need to lead by seeing who of their teammates needs to be picked up and who needs to be helped out. I expect them to lead by example and also with their words.”

McDaniel will likely be the focal point of team defenses after a junior year averaging 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a steal per night. McDaniel reached double figures in scoring in all but one of his 22 games, including 30 points in the sectional loss to Fort Wayne Blackhawk. His field goal shooting percentage has also risen considerably in his three years from 26 percent as a freshman to 41 percent last year.

“The biggest thing for Josh is going to be how we can use him to get easy baskets for other people,” Hohm said. “We know he will be able to score, as he has continued to add to his offensive game. I want to see growth out of him in the areas of passing and screening to make the defense pay when they try to send too much help his way. We also will use the rest of our guys on offense to look to be more aggressive, which should result in some open looks for McDaniel from outside.”

Landon Twombly could see a considerable amount of opportunities with McDaniel on the radar. Averaging 10.8 ppg and 4.0 assists a night, Twombly became a quality second option and took over some of the ball handling duties for the Cougars. With brother Noah returning from a school-based leave to Wisconsin the second half of his junior season (5.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg), along with Raymond (5.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and Gross (3.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg) on the inside, LCA could make the turn.

Junior Jake Harmon (8.0 ppg, 49 3-pt) is a shooting threat whenever he gets the ball, and classmate Braxton Keller gives the Cougars additional height (6-1) and role abilities.

LCA went 8-16 last season, after winning just five games combined in Hohm’s first two years. While wins and losses are an accumulation, Hohm noted the results have facilitated a new attitude within the program.

“One year ago, our goal was to win a game before Christmas. This year, we are looking to battle for a winning record,” Hohm said. “We would love to win the program’s first sectional game in boys basketball as well. We have started up a new conference, the Hoosier Plains Conference, and our goal is to win the conference this year. My hope is that we look back on the season and that we are proud of how we played in each game.”

LCA opens up its slate on Tuesday at home against Caston.