MELSTONE — Melstone usually hovers right around 30 students in its high school.
Yet the boys basketball team is competitive on a year-to-year basis under head coach Jason Grebe, who recently passed 400 career wins. What’s their secret to success?
“We don't necessarily try to out-score guys, we try to stop guys. All the time," Grebe said. "I feel like these ranch kids can play defense. Not all of them score. Dribbling sometimes is scary with them. Offense can be a circus at some points with us, but defense we're good. We've always been good."
That’s no joke. Melstone is 11-5 and the only time an opponent cracked 60 points came in an overtime loss to Broadview-Lavina. The Broncs are holding teams to an average of just 38.4 points per game.
On the flip side, Grebe has one of the best weapons in the state at his disposal in his son Bryce, a Montana State football commit, but freshman Tucker Keller, son of Rocky women’s coach Wes Keller, will be running the show in years to come.
“His grandpa is probably the best coach in the state and his dad is really good. I don't know if he's better than his dad, but he's good too," Grebe joked of Wes. "He loves the gym and we're just glad they're over here. We'll see. Freshmen are freshman. He's got a lot of work to do."
One thing this season has brought the Broncs? Less travel. With the previously dissolved District 5C coming back to life, Melstone has spent far fewer hours on the road.
“We're going to cut 1,500 miles off our bus. The older I get, I kind of hate riding the buses," Grebe said.
The Broncs will have one of their longest treks for the district and divisional tournaments in Lockwood.
