Negaunee's Drew Lindberg, center, sinks a jumper over Manistique's Kanton Lauzon, left, as the Emeralds' Mark Block looks on in the first quarter of their high school boys basketball game played at the Miners' gym on Thursday night, Dec. 28, 2017. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

NEGAUNEE — After finishing with an 8-13 record last season, it can be easy to say the Negaunee High School boys varsity basketball team had a down year.

Despite the losing season though, the Miners were down, but never really out of games. Slow starts hurt the team before cutting its deficit late in games, but things were too little, too late at that point.

It’s also easy to say the Miners were a young team last season. Negaunee head coach Dan Waterman knows that, and hopes his matured crop of players can get the team far.

“We’re so far ahead of where we were last year and that’s what happens when you have four returning starters,” he said. “We’ve got 11 guys this year, nine of which were heavily involved in our summer program. We had 18 games in the summer and offensively, we’re ahead of schedule. Defensively, we’re capable, but we’re still a work in progress. We need to get better, but to the kids’ credit, they’re working really hard.

“It was just about improvement. Overall individual improvement right now and over the course of the summer. We’re a more experienced team. We’re a more physically mature team and I think that’s gong to help us.”

Negaunee returns four players who received significant playing time as sophomores last season, junior guards Jason Waterman, Jakson Sager, Drew DuShane and Drew Lindberg.

Jason Waterman is an All-U.P. Class ABC Second Team and an All-Mid-Peninsula Conference First Team recipient from last season, while DuShane was named to the All-Defensive Team.

“Everybody knows about Jason and we expect him to be really good,” he said. “As the most experienced guy, a lot of the leadership duties fall to him.

“Jakson Sager is our point guard and kind of the key to the whole operation for us. Because of his position, a lot of the leadership stuff falls on him too. I think they’re both doing a great job along with Drew DuShane and Drew Lindberg. You can just see they’re so much more confident in what they’re supposed to be doing and how to do things. That’s been a real positive for us early in the year.

Other notable players Waterman made note of are junior guard Alex Munson and senior forwards Jake Larson and Tyler Hintsala.

“I think that Alex is going to help us,” he said. “He was probably the leading scorer on the junior varsity team and right now, it looks like he’ll be the first guy off of the bench for us. He’s a really steady, smart-headed ball player. He’s got some really good things already and we’re looking forward to him being a solid contributor for us this year. I would guess that Jake and Tyler are going to split time in the fifth starter spot or post spot for us.”

Asked why the Miners are worth the price of admission, Waterman said his young but experienced team will be a fun one to watch.

“I think we’re going to be exciting because of all the experience we have coming back,” he said. “If it’s possible to be a young team, but an experienced one, that’s us. We took our bumps and bruises last year and we’re hoping that pays off for us in a big way this year.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.

Negaunee boys

2018-19 schedule

All times Eastern

Tonight — at Calumet, 7:15 p.m.

Friday — Iron Mountain, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 4 — at Escanaba. 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — L’Anse, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 18 — at Gwinn, 7:15 p.m.

Dec.. 21 — at Marquette, 7:20 p.m.

Dec. 28 — at Manistique, 6 p.m.

Jan. 3 — Houghton, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 9 — at Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Hancock, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Gladstone, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 22 — at Iron Mount., 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Manistique., 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 — Gwinn, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 6 — at Westwood, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 8 — Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 12 — at Gladstone, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Marquette, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 18 — at West Iron C., 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 20 — Westwood, 7:15 p.m.