The Dike-New Hartford boys basketball team will look vastly different in 2025-2026 than it did this season. The team will need to replace five senior starters, and will only have three players who played regular varsity minutes.
This year’s lineup included all-conference members Colin Meester, Devon Lotts, Carson Costello and Tyler Bakken. It’ll be an adjustment for Head Coach Alex Tagtow, who has worked with each member of the starting lineup since his arrival at the school.
“Going into year four for me, the first three years, Colin Meester has been the point guard for every game I’ve coached at DNH,” Tagtow says. “Devon Lotts has started at the off guard every game I’ve coached at DNH except for a brief period when he broke his hand. Those guys and some of the other role guys, they’ve been here the whole time I’ve been here. So it’s going to be a different look.”
With a new lineup, Tagtow says a key will be playing the style that best fits the collective strengths of the group.
“The approach that I always have is you’re not looking for one-to-one replacements. I’m not looking for who’s going to be the guy that fills the Colin Meester role. That’s a one-of-one role. I’m not looking for somebody to fill the Devon Lotts role, the Carson Costello role. It’s more of what do we have and what role is best for those guys. And it’s going to look different. We’re going to have to probably stylistically make some decisions on how we’re going to play offensively and defensively. It’s all stuff we’ve got all summer to kind of worry about, but I’m excited about it.”
The team went 13-11 and reached a district semifinal.
