The Vienna High School boys’ basketball squad began practice last week without a big chunk of their lineup.

However, this week the group is back together and preparation for the upcoming campaign begins in earnest.

Vienna’s boys began basketball practice Monday, Nov. 2, but without seven players. Those players were also cross country runners who over the weekend brought the school a sterling finish in the Missouri State Championships, placing third as a team in Class 1.

Those seven join the others in basketball this week, putting the Eagle roster number to a complete 19 players.

“We’ve got everybody back and can get back to some Xs and Os,” said Chandler Harker, entering his seventh season as head coach of his alma mater. “I feel good about this group. I’m thinking we might have something. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Vienna is scheduled to participate in the Stoutland Jamboree Monday, Nov. 16, competing against Everton and host Stoutland high schools.

The Eagles are scheduled to open the season by playing at Richland Friday, Nov. 20, with a 6 p.m. junior varsity tip-off and the varsity contest to follow. Vienna opens the home portion of its schedule Nov. 23 by hosting Fatima (6 p.m.).

The Eagles are young but bringing back key pieces from last season’s squad, which finished 12-15 overall and in a three-way tie for second place in the Show-Me Central Conference.

Leading the charge are returning senior starters Teagan James, a 6-4 guard/forward, and 5-11 guard Hunter Schwartze.

Other returners expected to round out the starting five are 5-10 senior guard Jaiden Hayes, 6-1 junior guard Talan Reeves and 5-9 junior guard Bryce Ewers.

Among the others back looking to earn key varsity rotation roles are 5-11 senior guard Chase Weeks, 6-2 junior guard/forward Tyler Hallahan, 6-0 sophomore guard Parker James and 5-8 sophomore guard Paxten Jeremy.

T. James is the returning SMCC MVP and all-district selection who averaged 23.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocked shots while Schwartze, a multi-sport standout, was an all-league honoree after averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.8 steals. Also for the Eagles last season, Reeves averaged 3.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals and Ewers 2.9 points.

Harker worked on specific things in practice last week while waiting for the rest of the troops to come back this week.

“A lot of people spend a lot of time on Xs and Os early,” he said. “I’m the opposite. The players should have that down from playing over the summer. I pick out a few things we struggled with during the summer. We hit a lot more on drills the first week of practice. And what we do depends on the group.”

The Eagles are smaller but leaner, faster and more athletic than Vienna teams in recent years. And Harker plans to play to the squad’s personnel strengths, which are a little different than in the past.

“We have emphasized a lot more on full-court pressure, causing turnovers and havoc,” he said. “We’re smaller than other teams I’ve coached in previous years.”