Keller boys basketball stays a threat despite losing star player, more to injury
The Keller boys basketball team was on a roll.
The Indians had won all nine of their district games, but then Keller got shook to its core. Star player Steven Ramirez went down with a knee injury in a win against Keller Central on January 14.
“He is our best player,” said Keller head coach Zach Weir of Ramirez, a Northern Colorado signee and the 2023-24 Star-Telegram Offensive Player of the Year. “He averages 25 points a game, seven or eight rebounds a game, three assists a game, and has had multiple double-doubles.”
Weir added that the night Ramirez got hurt, the senior had six steals. He is also Keller’s single-season record-holder in blocked shots and played a pivotal role in leading Keller to the regional finals in the 2023-24 season.
“He’s not just a guy, he’s a dude,” said Weir. “According to Synergy Sports, he’s one of the top scorers in the nation, and he’s just uber efficient shooting 45%. He’s a big part of what we do here.”
Weir said it was really hard on his kids losing the best player on the team as well as a “buddy” who they’ve played with all their lives.
And if that wasn’t enough, another starter, senior Parker Viers went down for the season with a hand injury and junior Sawyer Bennett will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Senior Evan Collins rolled an ankle last week but should be back before the end of the season.
The Indians dropped their next three games to Southlake Carroll, Trophy Club Byron Nelson and Euless Trinity. Keller defeated Carroll and Trinity by double digits the first time they met and squeaked by Nelson.
The Indians fell to 9-3 in District 4-6A play and 14-14 overall. More injuries and an extremely tough non-district schedule have played a part in the 14-14 overall record for the Indians.
Keller was without two key players in Maverick McNeil and Luke Fabian, when the Indians went 1-7 to start the season.
“The schedule that we played included Allen and South Grand Prairie and then we went to the Dallas Mavs Tournament and played Little Elm and Lufkin,” said Weir. “We played our first 10 or 11 games against all ranked teams. (Denton) Guyer was also a top-ten team, but we were slowly getting better and just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Even with all of the adversity that the Keller basketball team has gone through, Weir refuses to make the injuries an excuse and is confident that he has players remaining that can get the job done. After the initial shock of losing Ramirez and the others, the Indians have slowly begun to work their way into their new roles.
Keller defeated Keller Timber Creek on Tuesday, January 28, 61-55 to help right the ship. The Indians were up by 16 points early in the third quarter, but the Falcons cut it to two points, 57-55, with 1:01 left before Keller put the game away, making four of six free throws to seal the game.
“I thought getting the win on Tuesday was a big, big step for us in the right direction,” said Weir, whose team was off on Friday, January 31, but will travel to Haslet Eaton on Tuesday, February 4. “Sometimes you just need a little boost of confidence.”
Even with all of the adversity, Keller is still in second place in the district, one-half game behind Byron Nelson and one-half game ahead of third-place Southlake Carroll.
Weir says Fabian, a senior, now takes over as the top player on the team and is learning that “he’s the guy now” and will be a key ball handler instead of feeding off of Ramirez and being a spot shooter. Sophomore Cash Erdmann, along with McNeil, Seth Turnbull, and Shawn Harris, all juniors and seniors Evan Guerra and Collins, will also play key roles, according to Weir.
On Tuesday, the Indians spread the scoring around, with Guerra leading the way with 13 points and Fabian chipping in 11. McNeil, Evan Dyniewski, and Turnbull had nine points each.
Sophomore Tyson Harris, who is a solid-bodied 6’4”, and freshman Slade Bradley, who Weir said “is going to be a really good player”, will see an increase in playing time as well.
Even though Keller will literally be limping into the playoffs, Weir expects his team to come together, grow up, and show they can still compete at a high level.
“The kids have stayed resilient, and I’m so proud of them,” said Weir, whose team is almost assured of earning a playoff berth. “Whatever happens moving forward, I told them that it’s an opportunity for them to show what they can do. I believe in the dudes in the locker room. If I didn’t, then they wouldn’t be here.”
