Anamosa boys’ basketball team grew together, learned to win together

ANAMOSA — Familiarity may breed contempt. You can decide if you truly believe that.

But in the case of the Anamosa Blue Raiders, familiarity has bred success instead. Unprecedented success.

The vast majority of Anamosa's first-ever boys' state basketball tournament team began playing together all the way back in third grade. Fathers Mark Hunt and Aaron Zumbach decided they'd coach their boys and their friends.

Nine years later, Hunt and Zumbach will be in the stands at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines as the school reaps the benefits of what they originally sewed. Austin Hunt, Tyler Zumbach and the rest of the Blue Raiders play Des Moines Christian in a Class 2A quarterfinal Tuesday morning at 10:30.

'We really always have liked each other,' said Anamosa's Kolin Schulte. 'We've played together since the third grade and really grew together on the basketball court. We've enjoyed playing basketball with each other.'

And enjoyed playing winning basketball together, of course. You get differing opinions as to when they all initially realized there could be something good there.

It was sometime in their middle-school years. That much they agree upon.

'In eighth grade, we went on a streak where we won, like, 25 games in a row,' Schulte said. 'That's when we figured we could be something special when we were in high school.'

'In sixth grade, we had, like, 34 wins in one of our seasons,' Tyler Zumbach said. 'My mom has kept all the records over the years, and we've got over 200 wins together. Winning is something we have become accustomed to. We're really excited about going on this run together.'

'In about sixth or seventh grade, we went something like 36-4,' Anamosa's Kyle Schepanski said. 'We were like 'If we keep working, our senior year could be really special.' It's surreal that it turned out that exact way. This has been on our minds the whole time. We knew we had a special group.'

So did Anamosa Coach Kevin Barnes.

'Absolutely we did,' he said. 'They've had good parent support, good dads coaching them all the way through. When they came through in middle school, you could just tell they had what it took. Not only in basketball, but all across the board. The way I describe them ... you always talk about kids who are coachable and love kids who are coachable. But not only are these kids coachable, but they want to be coached. I can't describe it, but they come every day wanting to be coached. They take that instruction, they get better, and it's fun.'

There are 11 seniors on the roster, including all five starters: Zumbach and Hunt in the frontcourt, Schulte, Schepanski and Kyle Sayre at guards. Seniors Cole Jamison, Ryan Krapfl, Gabe Finn and Dylan Jones, and junior Cole Sander get time off the bench, as Anamosa enjoys a fast-paced game.

Schulte, Schepanski and Zumbach provide a lion's share of the offense, averaging about 49 points between them. They say it's always been that way.

But everyone has a role, accepts it and plays it well.

'We don't have to play those three scorers 32 minutes a night. We just don't drop off,' said Barnes, in his 18th season. 'The big thing is we keep the pace. Maybe we don't score as well with one or two of those guys on the bench, but neither does the opponent. We're just able to guard. The big thing about that is the kids accept that. In this day and age, that doesn't always happen. I've just been very fortunate. Not just with those three guys, but all the way through the roster.'

Anamosa was 8-13 two seasons ago, 13-8 last season and takes a 20-5 record to Des Moines. The Blue Raiders have won 16 of 17 since the 6-foot-6 Zumbach returned after the holiday break from a leg injury.

'I'm finally feeling where I want to be with my game. I'm peaking at the right time,' he said. 'The chemistry on this team is unbelievable. We've got 11 seniors, and we just know how to play with each other. Everybody is best friends, so it's really fun to come out here and play. We're just having fun. That's all we're doing. We're having fun.'

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