Having lost nearly 70 percent of its offensive production from last season, the Big Walnut High School boys basketball team may have to rely on its defensive play even more than it did a year ago.

The Golden Eagles finished 12-10 overall last season and 6-6 in the OCC-Capital Division to tie Delaware for fourth, behind Olentangy Orange (9-3), Franklin Heights (8-4) and Mount Vernon (8-4) and ahead of New Albany (5-7) and Watkins Memorial (0-12).

Seeded sixth in the Division II district tournament, Big Walnut had a first-round bye and defeated Columbus East 58-55 in overtime in the second round before losing to fourth-seeded Eastmoor Academy 47-44 in a district semifinal.

"We want to pick up the tempo more and get some more offense out of our defense," coach Mike DeLaney said.

Big Walnut, which opens Friday at Granville, lost six players to graduation, including three starters in guards Eugene Cannaday and Patrick Lillie and forward Colton Griffis. Cannaday led the team in scoring last season, averaging 15.9 points, and was named first-team all-district. Lillie averaged 10.0 points and made honorable mention all-district and Griffis averaged 6.1 points.

The Golden Eagles averaged 56.5 points last season, with the six seniors combining to average 39 points.

"I think (our scoring) will be more spread out than last year," 6-foot-2 senior guard Aaron Hale said. "We all will have to contribute. I'm just trying to get my shooting down this year and step up."

Hale, who averaged 4.5 points last season, is one of three returning letterwinners. The others are 6-6 senior forward Johnny Cannell and 5-10 sophomore guard Tyler Beam. Cannell and Beam were starters last season.

Cannell was third on the team in scoring last season, averaging 7.9 points. Beam averaged 5.7 points.

"Johnny in the pivot will be the focal point of our offense," DeLaney said. "Everything will play off him. Aaron is a good 3-point shooter and Tyler had several double-digit (scoring) games last year. After that, I think it will be scoring by committee."

"Johnny's our go-to guy," Hale said. "He's big and strong and he's very good down low. He'll help open up shots for me and the rest of the team."

Also on the team are seniors Jeff Bills (6-4 forward) and Nate Brown (6-0 forward), juniors Joel Craig (6-2 guard), David Sturtevant (5-9 guard) and Jacob Walaszek (6-1 forward) and sophomores Zach Mason (5-8 guard) and Nate Seawell (5-10 guard).

All but Walaszek, who was sidelined with a broken wrist that he suffered playing football, played junior varsity a year ago. The j.v. team finished 13-7 last season.

"They've won all the way up through the program," DeLaney said. "Big Walnut has had a solid program for a long time. They're used to winning in basketball and they're used to winning in other sports."

DeLaney is in his second season at Big Walnut after spending the previous four seasons at Utica. He was hired in the spring of 2008 to replace Steve Comstock, whose contract was not renewed after nine seasons.

"We are much further ahead this year than we were at this point last year," DeLaney said. "This is my second year. The kids now know what we want as coaches, they understand what we emphasize."

Big Walnut opens OCC-Capital play on Dec. 8 at Watkins Memorial. First-year Hilliard Bradley has joined the league.

"Orange is the favorite. They return everybody," DeLaney said. "You can throw a blanket over the rest of us."

Schedule

• Dec. 4 at Granville
• *Dec. 8 at Watkins Memorial
• *Dec. 11 vs. Olentangy Orange
• Dec. 15 vs. Licking Heights
• *Dec. 18 vs. Hilliard Bradley
• *Dec. 22 at Delaware
• Dec. 28 vs. Olentangy in Delaware County Classic (Delaware)
• *Jan. 5 vs. New Albany
• *Jan. 8 vs. Mount Vernon
• Jan. 12 vs. Buckeye Valley
• *Jan. 15 at Franklin Heights
• *Jan. 22 vs. Watkins Memorial
• Jan. 23 at Licking Valley
• *Jan. 26 at Olentangy Orange
• *Jan. 29 at Hilliard Bradley
• *Feb. 2 vs. Delaware
• *Feb. 5 at New Albany
• *Feb. 12 at Mount Vernon
• Feb. 13 vs. Mifflin
• *Feb. 19 vs. Franklin Heights

*OCC-Capital game