Hanna Rutland is one of two returning Osan seniors. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Check out team capsules for basketball and wrestling.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – With most of the basketball and wrestling teams in DODEA-Korea putting the “Help Wanted” shingle at their doors, Humphreys boys basketball may be one team that bucks the rebuilding trend.
The Blackhawks, who finished last in the 2024 Far East Division I Tournament, have Brandon Howell returning, a senior guard hungry for his team to leap much higher than it did a season ago.
“How high is going to be up to them,” said Ashley Gooch, in her seventh season with the program and second as Blackhawks head coach.
“The energy is different this season,” Gooch said, adding that the lineup features underclassmen and juniors who “bring some raw talent” to the table.
That would include Blackhawks’ thousand-yard football running back Joshua Canion, a junior guard who can turn on the jets when required, Gooch said.
Fellow footballer Joshua Ward, a junior, adds depth to the backcourt and returning junior Elijah Kidd lines up at small forward. Daniel McMillan, another junior, can play forward or center.
“We’re going to be competitive,” Gooch said, adding that she has on board some assistant coaches who “breathe new life” into the team and its practice sessions.
“Pound-for-pound, this may be the most talented team we’ve had in a while,” Gooch said, recalling the days when the Blackhawks topped the Korea standings and competed annually for the Far East Division I Tournament title.
M.J. Siebert is one of three returning seniors in Osan's boys lineup. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Jayden Hightower is one of three returning seniors in Osan's boys lineup. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Andrew Burks returns to a Daegu team that lost its point guard and strong inside options to graduation or transfer. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Xavier Brown is one being counted on to help fill the shoes of Daegu's departed point guard. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Boys basketball
Alas, the same cannot be said for Osan and Daegu, each of which took some roundhouse rights and lefts from the transfer and graduation rounds.
The Cougars do bring back three seniors, center Ben Ziegler, guard M.J. Siebert and distance specialist Jayden Hightower. Newcomer Zephaniah Queen, a sophomore, might be “the best athlete we have in school,” given his speed and quickness, new coach Walt Allen said.
“I’m confident in our team’s chemistry,” Allen said. “How that translates onto the court remains to be seen.”
The Warriors’ point guard, Adrian Tagalong, and their best post players either graduated or transferred, leaving new coach Oliver Herazo with something of a building task. Still, he has five players returning and five freshmen whom he has dubbed the “Fab Five.”
“We have a decent team,” Herazo said. “We’ll be in every game. The Fab Five, they’re going to play some good minutes. We’re going to have fun. We’re going to compete.”
Dadiana Gomez, Kaylee Harris, Pauline Zafra and Jocelyn Sanchez and Humphreys are building into what new coach Misty Galamison hopes will be a contending team by season's end. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Grace Williams is one of a handful of guards around which Osan coach Euroya Lauzon hopes to build the new iteration of the Cougars. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Denali Clites is one of two returners for Daegu's girls, who lost virtually their entire offense to transfer or graduation. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Caylee Shipman is one of two players returning to Daegu's girls lineup. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Chloe Harman is one of two returning seniors in Osan's girls lineup. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Girls basketball
Daegu might be in similar shape on the girls side. The Harvey sisters, Jasmine (graduation) and Trinity (transfer), are gone and only two players, guards Denali Clites and Caylee Shipman, return for new coach Susan Oltmer.
“There is potential,” Oltmer said. “It’s going to take time, but by January, I’m hoping we’ll be OK.”
Misty Galamison, or Coach G, as she’s called, comes over from track and field to take the Blackhawks’ girls hoops helm. Humphreys is hoping senior forward tandem Lillian McCants and Leilani Hunter can lead the Blackhawks into contention.
“Do not count our team out,” Galamison said. “We’re conditioning, getting both mentally and physically prepared” to have a competitive campaign.
Osan will likely rely on guard play and plenty of youth this season; just two senior return, guards Chloe Harman and Hanna Rutland, and they’ll team with sophomore Grace Williams and tennis star Grace Kim to build the newest version of Cougars.
“We’re young, but they can learn pretty quickly,” coach Euroya Lauzon said.
Reigning Far East champion Matthew Nubin and Humphreys' wrestling team is hoping to find the bridge to a long-sought Far East team title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Wrestling
Humphreys has had its share of full or almost-full lineups over the years, but the smaller DODEA-Korea schools, Daegu and Osan, have struggled to put bodies on the mat to give them competition, Blackhawks coach Ben Pak said.
That might change this season for the Warriors and Cougars.
Warriors second-year coach Zach Colflesh says he’s optimistic that a small group of returners, including Nick Faubion and Jaiden Williams, can mesh with some new faces to at least put 10 or 11 names in the master bout lists each week.
“We are going to compete very well,” Colflesh said. “We might not have the full 13, but … I’m excited about this season. The kids are hungry.”
Just two veterans return to the Cougars’ lineup along with a group of youngsters, including freshman Logan Seen, who could fill more than just a few spots in the lineup as well.
“We’re missing three weights right now,” Osan assistant coach Juan Nevarez said. “We should have 11 of 14 filled.”
As for the Blackhawks, reigning Far East champion Matthew Nubin and runner-up Amare Morgan return along with Joseph Fernal and Andrew Schlecht on a team that Pak says is rebuilding and reloading.
“It’s been a roller-coaster ride because of a limited number of schools and weight classes. But I don’t make excuses. I keep working hard and preparing my wrestlers for competition,” Pak said.
