Dylan Hensley takes the ball inside during a game with Culver Community last season. Hensley is one of two returning starters for the 2017-18 Trojan. (File photo by Mike Deak)

BOURBON — Triton coach Jason Groves isn’t mincing words when he talks about what his team lost to graduation last spring.

Gone are three starters from that 18-6 squad. With them went the majority of the Trojans’ points production and rebounding, not to mention some very solid defensive presences, and Groves acknowledges it’s a lot to make up.

“We lost a lot,” he said. “Obviously we did lose a lot of our scoring; I think it was like 35 points per game. It was also our rebounding. I think it was three of our top four rebounders, probably our three best defensive players, so, yeah, we do have a lot to replace.”

Zac Pitney, Grant Johnson and Nate Flenar may have moved on — along with fellow Class of ’17ers Jarrett Martin, Caden Marr and Adam Stevens — but two of Triton’s starting five are back in Beau Hepler and Dylan Hensley. Drew Stichter also returns after logging significant varsity minutes last season, and Max Slusser brings experience to the floor for the Trojans in 2017-18 as well. Senior Warsaw transfer Ross Johnson lends the team some more know-how as well as height, while a solid group of sophomores is expected to step up in Quentin Thornburg, Jared Bules and Tyler Heckaman.

Johnson and Pitney were good for nearly 15 points per game apiece last season, and Groves says this year’s team will likely have to share the offensive load a little more. But it’s a lineup that’s seemed receptive early on.

“We have a good, solid core of kids that have been around so we’re excited about them. It’s their opportunity to step up. They know they need to,” Groves said. “They’ve been aggressive in practice in trying to find different ways to score. We’re just going to need to be balanced. I don’t think we’re going to have that one guy that averages 20 points a game. We’ve just got to spread it out, share the ball.”

In order to accomplish that, Groves and his staff will look to work their magic with a more multiple offense than in years past, and they’ll try to get the most out of match-ups with a variety of different lineups. But in order to be successful, this year’s Trojans will also need to work hard on the defensive end of the floor.

Beau Hepler shoots the 3 during a game with Bremen last year. (File photo by Mike Deak)

“One thing that we’ve talked about is just defensively you don’t have to be 6’6” Grant Johnson. That just takes a little bit of guts, a little bit of heart and a little bit of smarts,” explained Groves. “So we’ve really challenged our kids to get after it defensively. We’re not very big. We’re not very long like we have been in the past, so we’ve got to be aggressive. Defense, I think that’s something you can control so I expect them to play good defense.”

Although there’s likely a steep learning curve for this year’s Trojans, one thing that could help ease the transition is a home-heavy front end schedule. Triton plays its first three games at the Trojan Trench beginning with the season-opener versus Oregon-Davis Wednesday, and a full six of the team’s first eight games will take place on its home floor.

“With a young team and an inexperienced team, I think that will just help with their comfort level and not having to worry about playing in front of an away crowd,” offered Groves. “Our kids are definitely comfortable there. They practice every day in that gym so it’s kind of nice in a year where we lose so much to be able to start at home.”

While the where of the Trojans’ early schedule might be a help, the who isn’t doing them any favors. OD is ranked 10th in the Associated Press’ preseason Class A ratings, and after that come Northern Lakes Conference opponents Plymouth and NorthWood — the latter a pick for fourth in the AP’s Class 3A poll. It’ll be a trial by fire for Triton’s new look lineup, but they should learn some things about themselves pretty quickly.

“We’ve had some pretty good practices. I like the makeup of this team. They work hard. They’re unselfish. They’re just good kids, so I’m excited to work with them,” Groves said. “We’ll see. I’m not exactly sure what to expect, but we’ll let that play out.”

This year’s Triton boys basketball team may look a little different, but Groves believes one thing hasn’t changed.

The program hasn’t had a single losing season since 2004-05 when he first took the helm, and seven sectional, four semi-state and a state championship later, the expectations are always high for the team. No matter who suits up for them and no matter who they happen to be playing, the Trojans believe they can win.

“I think our kids have a winning mentality. I think you saw that last year. Last year nobody really expected us to do what we did. To be honest with you I’m not so sure I expected that,” said Groves. “The kids believe they can win every game they go into, and I don’t think that’s changed. I think these kids expect to win, and that’s what we want to do. We want to go into every game thinking that we’re going to win and playing with confidence. If they do that and play defense and play their hardest, that’s all we can ask.”