Junior guard Braydon Maier is “Boone Grove through and through,” according to coach Dean Hill.

The 6-foot Maier envisions the junior-heavy Wolves accomplishing great things, including winning their first regional title. He already has an eye on next season and views this one largely as a stepping stone — not that he’s dismissing it.

“This group, we all played JV together last year,” Maier said. “The coaches kept us all together, and that really helped. We all played. We only lost two or three games last year. It was good because we learned how to win as a team.

“We had seven or eight seniors last year, and once those seniors graduated, we all got here together.”

Maier suffered a sprained left ankle in the first minute of the season opener and missed three games. But Hill said Maier “has been fantastic” since he returned to the lineup.

“He came back and didn’t skip a beat, started leading us right away,” Hill said. “Even when he was out, he was helping and doing what he could. Character-wise, he’s as good of a kid as you can get.

“He’s always been a lead-by-example kind of guy. He’s never missed a workout. He’s there first and wants to stay late. He’s like the cliché of ‘first one there, last one to leave.’ He tries to get guys to come with him and make sure we do what we need to do. This year, he’s starting to grow more into a vocal leader too. He’s always known what to say, but he’s learning how to deliver the message now to guys.”

Maier was averaging 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals before Boone Grove (7-4, 3-1) played a Porter County Conference game against South Central on Friday night.

“I try to bring energy into the game and have a high motor and get guys going on the defensive end,” he said. “I try to set an expectation for myself of what to do. Instead of speaking things, I try to lead on the court — no messing around, going through drills hard, everything like that.”

Maier is a captain with junior guard Carson Kinsey and sophomore forward Sal Montes. Maier is also part of Boone Grove’s principal council. One boy and one girl from each grade were selected, and they meet with the school’s principals every month to discuss relevant topics.

“I would say he’s our leading captain, our leading captain of the group,” Hill said of Maier. “He’s the mesh of being talented enough and playing solid that guys respect him, but he never talks down or is demeaning to them when he’s trying to help them. It’s always positive, bringing people up. Off the floor, on the floor, that’s the way he is.”

Junior guard Ben Oszust, who also suffered a sprained left ankle in the season opener and missed four games, bonded with Maier as they recovered.

“He’s a great leader,” Oszust said. “He always makes sure everybody’s included. He’s a very vocal guy. I’ve never seen him by himself, makes everybody feel included. He’s the definition of what a team leader should be.

“He sees everything like a floor general. He’s a good shooter when he’s open — he has one of the better jump shots on the team. He’s great on defense, always communicates on defense. He always tells everybody, ‘Keep your heads up. Next play, next play.’ He’s an all-around good player.”

Maier likes the direction the Wolves are heading.

“We’re just building and building,” he said. “It’s a process. We’re process-driven every day, and we’re working to the end result. We stick together really well, and we just have to keep doing it.

“We’ll have eight seniors next year. PCC, PCC Tournament, sectional championship, and I don’t think Boone Grove’s ever won a regional before, so that’s one thing we’re really looking to, to win our first regional.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/16/basketball-boone-grove-braydon-maier/