Article by Greg Jaklewicz
Photos Courtesy of WylieSports.com
Season Starts Strong for Wylie Boys Basketball
Wylie already this season has accomplished something it hasn’t in recent years in boys basketball. The Bulldogs won a season opener, and it was the Wylie Bulldogs this time over those from Burkburnett.
Wylie downed Burkburnett, the preseason No. 18 in Class 4A, 77–70 at the WHS gym Saturday. The orange-clad Bulldogs recently had won 72–61, 75–55 and 47–40. Wylie last won in 2021, taking a 78–70 win at home.
“They are a perennial top-20 team in 4A,” he said.
“We played really hard Saturday and we overcame some of the things we’re going to get better at simply because of how hard we played. Since we made the jump to 5A, we haven’t been one of the biggest teams, but we have kids who fight hard. You’ve got to overcome those heights.
“For us starting the year 1-0 and beating a Burkburnett team is really good for us.”
Wylie hadn’t won a season opener since 2019.
Momentum Continues
The Bulldogs on Tuesday followed that up with a 78–63 win over Class 6A Midland High.
Two wins this first week of the season won’t get Wylie to the Class 5A state tournament, but it’s a big positive for Coach Gregg Ruffin’s team, which went 16–13 last year. The Bulldogs were 5–3 in district, finishing second. The three losses were by a combined nine points, including one-point and four-point losses to league champion Wichita Falls Legacy.
Legacy lost district MVP Caiden Reed, a 6-6 post who now plays for Midwestern. However, a sophomore on the JV last year will bring height to the varsity this year, the coach said.
Ruffin believes that with three starters back, his team has as good a chance at a district title as any team.
“We bring as much back if not more than anybody,” Ruffin said.
But that’s far off; Wylie begins 2-5A play with an open date before facing Abilene High on Jan. 20.
Building Toward District
Tough Schedule Ahead
There is lots of basketball in between, and a tough schedule. Wylie has won 30 games in a season — Wylie was 33–4 in its last year in 4A — but Ruffin, who has coached for 29 years and since the 2013–14 season as varsity basketball coach, believes honing his team with strong competition will pay off when district play starts and, hopefully, a playoff run.
Lubbock-Cooper eliminated Wylie 62–50 in the first round last season.
Ruffin believes the Bulldogs basketball program is on an upward trajectory. Wylie has had three winning seasons since moving up to 5A. This is the eighth season in this classification.
The Bulldogs entered this season at 106–107 in its 5A era.
Only three of the 15 players on the varsity roster are seniors, suggesting that the foundation is there to build on last year’s winning record and playoff game.
‘Kids Like the Challenge’
Ruffin was totally upbeat about beating Burkburnett.
“The win gave our kids a lot of confidence moving forward,” he said.
Wylie will be making its first road trip, trekking Friday to Amarillo to face the 6A Sandies. Amarillo is ranked No. 15 in Class 5A and beat Wylie to start the season the past three years.
“It’s a pretty tough schedule. There are no easy games for us,” Ruffin said. “We’ve had our share of 30-win years but we’re trying to get better so that when those games count in district, we’re the best that we can be.
“It will be a challenge, but I think kids like the challenge.”
Wylie will see good competition in Granbury and Champions (Fort Worth) tournaments, and have a home game in early January against Brock, currently No. 15 in Class 4A.
Last year, Wylie played Denton Guyer in the Fort Worth tournament, losing 65–48. Guyer went on to win the Class 6A Division II state title.
“We tell the kids that sometimes you play teams just to get victories. It makes you look good, but maybe you didn’t play any teams that make you get better,” Ruffin said.
Wylie also will be host of the Catclaw tournament.
Defensive Identity Taking Shape
Facing a good team with two excellent guards, the home Bulldogs were put to the test right off. Wylie rolled out a man-to-man defense and stayed with it the entire game. That is new, and Ruffin was pleased with the result. Expect Wylie to stick with that because Ruffin this season has the athletes.
“I thought we did a really good job. Their two guards, who are really good, they’re going to get their points but we held the 3-point shooter to 3-for-15 and the other guy was 0-for-9 from three,” Ruffin said.
“I think that’s what we’re going to try to do … put a little bit more pressure with man defense. I think we have the guys. When you play man defense, all five have to be dialed in and play hard. I think this group will buy into that.”
Burkburnett also brought a pressure defense, which Wylie quickly had to learn how to handle.
Offensively, Wylie will want to score on transition.
Otherwise, “We’re dribble-drive,” Ruffin said. “We’re shooting layups or shooting threes.”
Drives also could provide the post players with chances for “easy finishes,” he said.
“It’s what the game has developed to (but) it changes year to year.”
Wylie has that kind of team this year.
“Our goal,” Ruffin said, “is to get to the rim or kick out for three.”
Meet the Bulldogs
The roster includes four players from football, including quarterback Jadin Karleskint and his go-to receiver Blaze Ruffin. Coach Ruffin already has seen that varsity-level experience show up on the basketball court with the two juniors.
They are joined by outstanding freshman athlete Jack Williams, who was called up to the football varsity during the season.
“He’s a good-sized kid who can do some things,” Ruffin said. “The best thing he brings to the team is his passing. He can pass the ball.
“He’s going to be fun to watch. This is a good group to be with and learn. If we play hard, he’s going to see that this is how it has to be.”
Another plus for the program is that Wylie’s sub-varsity teams are so strong that the absence of players such as Williams won’t be crucial.
The other footballer on the varsity is 6-5 Aaron Edwards.
Returning Experience
On the court with Karleskint and Ruffin are:
6-4 senior Swade Sipe
6-1 senior Gavyn Fernandez
5-11 junior King Lloyd
Sipe, Fernandez, and Ruffin started last season.
“King was the first guy off the bench, and Jadin got minutes, too,” Ruffin said. “Easton Tuley was one of the first guys off the bench. Cartier Monson got some minutes the other day.
Both are sophomores.
“(Burkburnett) was a tough one to get thrown into,” the coach said.
Sipe has height but plays on the outside, Ruffin said.
“He’s not one who’s going to be inside banging around a whole lot,” the coach said.
Ruffin describes his team as “pretty unselfish. We’re going to pass the ball. We had 20 assists,” he said. “I like this group. All 15 of them will give us everything they have.”
‘B’ in Basketball Is for ‘Big’
Football is big at Wylie. Everyone knows that.
How about the basketball culture?
“I think it’s good,” Ruffin said. He had 45 boys who were straight basketball in the off-season program. “Which is good. It gives you a lot of bodies to look through and find your best ones. We’ve got a lot of kids who are out.
“The future looks bright.”
Wylie’s freshmen athletes have yet to lose a game in football and basketball, so Ruffin can be upbeat.
The JV beat Burkburnett by more than 30 points and the freshmen on Tuesday shut down Midland High 55–27.
A Family Connection
Ruffin again has the opportunity to coach a son, whose ability to go after the ball showed up in football. That will translate to rebounds in basketball.
Coach Ruffin said that on the court, he treats Blaze as a player.
“When you’re on the court, it shows you deserve to be there” is the message the coach has given his son, the player. “Their teammates know they deserve to be out there, not just because he’s the coach’s kid.
“There are two ways you can coach your kid. You can be over the top all for him or really tough on him. I’m pretty tough on him. It’s pretty hard on him.”
In turn, Blaze Ruffin and the Bulldogs aim to be tough on their opponents.