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Prep Hoops Preview: Galatia | Bearcats on the prowl under Wallace

Rod Wallace is proof that you can go back home again and his case, again and again.

Wallace graduated from Galatia High School in 1980 and later was the boys' basketball coach from 1998 to 2007. Wallace left the Bearcats to take over the Southeastern Illinois College women's program from 2008 to 2011.

Wallace returns to the site where he won a school record 26 games with the 2004-2005 Galatia High School team, finishing 26-2 and claiming the championship of the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament and the Greater Egyptian Conference Tournament.

Wallace said the prospect of coaching kids keeps him young.

"I like kids, kids keep me young," Wallace said. "Your thought process about the youth and where they are at, what they are doing and what's going on in their life in something I have always enjoyed."

Wallace takes over for Kendall Hankins and with 13 of his 15 varsity players being upper classmen, Wallace said the onus to excel on his him, not the players.

"I got to work with them a little bit in the summer time and we've got some pretty good guards and some pretty good big men. Honestly, I think the biggest challenge for this team this year will be me being able to put things together as a coach. I don't think it's the kids, I think it's whether we can pull it off as coaches.

"My biggest thing is, I want the kids playing as hard as they can all the time and I'm not interested in excuses. I want them playing together as a team and we'll play an uptempo game, so we'll make sure it's fun for the fans to watch and fun for the kids to play."

The Bearcat senior class includes Devyn Verbeck, Bronson Stanley, Kody Matthews, Hunter Talandis, Luke Lawrence and Shad Mattingly. The junior class includes Joel Glenn, Noah Triplett, Garrett Beers, Austin Pritchett, Austin Stevens, Will Pulliam and Ben Mitchell. There are no sophomores on this year's Galatia ball club, while the two freshmen are Braxton Lane and A.J. Hankins.

Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.

Galatia Schedule + Roster

<p><strong>Galatia Schedule</strong></p>

<p>Nov. 21         vs. Carrier Mills*<br />Nov. 22         vs. Eldorado*<br />Nov. 23         vs. Century*<br />Nov. 25         vs. Vienna*<br />Nov. 26         vs. Cobden*<br />Dec. 2         CARRIER MILLS-STONEFORT     6 PM<br />Dec. 3         at Gallatin County         6PM<br />Dec. 6         POPE COUNTY            6 PM<br />Dec. 9         CRAB ORCHARD             6 PM<br />Dec. 13         at NCOE                     6 PM<br />Dec. 20         at Elverado                  6 PM<br />Dec. 26-29         at Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament TBA<br />Jan. 3         THOMPSONVILLE         6 PM<br />Jan. 6         AGAPE CHRISTIAN         6 PM<br />Jan. 10         at Hardin County             6 PM<br />Jan. 13         at Crab Orchard             6 PM<br />Jan. 19         ZEIGLER-ROYALTON         6 PM<br />Jan. 20         at Pope County             6 PM<br />Jan. 23-24         GEC TOURNAMENT (at SIC)     TBA<br />Jan. 31         NCOE                         6 PM<br />Feb. 7         HARDIN COUNTY             6 PM<br />Feb. 14         at Thompsonville             6 PM<br />Feb. 17         at Carrier Mills-Stonefort     6 PM<br /><br />*At Vienna Classic</p>

<p><strong>Galatia Roster</strong><br />No.    Name                    Class    Hgt.    Pos.<br />00    Joel Glenn                Jr.        G<br />02    Devyn Verbeck        Sr.        G<br />03    Bronson Stanley        Sr.        G<br />04    Kody Matthews        Sr.        G<br />05    Noah Triplett            Jr.        G<br />10    Garrett Beers            Jr.        F<br />11    Hunter Talandis        Sr.        G<br />12    Austin Pritchett        Jr.        C<br />13    Braxton Lane            Fr.        G<br />15    Austin Stevens        Jr.        G/F<br />22    Luke Lawrence        Sr.        G<br />24     Will Pulliam            Jr.        F/C<br />25    Ben Mitchell            Jr.        F<br />33    Shad Mattingly        Sr.        F/C<br />35    A.J. Hankins            Fr.        G<br /><br /></p>