Behind Lincoln, Olivet basketball team enjoying perfect start

OLIVET, Mich. (WILX) - Back in the 2019-2020 season, the Olivet boys basketball team finished the year 5-16.

The Eagles knew they needed a new direction, but didn’t know who to turn to.

At least for a temporary fix, Athletic Director Matt Seidl stepped in to assume the role as head coach.

“To to be honest, I was definitely not looking to coach again. I was a retired coach, I really wasn’t comfortable with any of the candidates,” Seidl said. “So I just decided to be part of the solution. I thought it was gonna be one year. And here we are on three.”

Now 48-5 since taking over, Seidl has the Eagles off to a 16-0 start this year.

It’s their best start since 2005′s Class C State Championship team.

“We’ve done well. The cool part is it’s been a lot of the same guys,” Seidl said of his close-knit group. “We had them when they were like a diaper squad, freshman and sophomores, so now they’re juniors and seniors.”

One of those juniors quarterbacking the Eagles is Bo Lincoln, the same Bo Lincoln who does it all for the football team.

Lincoln is averaging 18 points, three assists and three steals, doing more of the same now on the hardwood.

Averaging 18 points, 3 assists and 3 steals ... He’s doing more of the same now on the hardwood ...

“Some games I don’t need to score a lot. I do what my team needs me to do for us to be successful,” Lincoln said. “Sometimes it’s scoring but sometimes it’s not. Getting on the ground for a loose ball and bringing the energy in a different way.”

Though 19-2 a season ago, the Eagles had a disappointing first round postseason exit.

That said, expectations haven’t changed any this year.

“Well, obviously we want to defend our GLAC title from last year. But we also wanted to win a district title this year,” Lincoln said. “So that’s our goal moving forward as well as securing the GLAC.”

Seidl’s team is a well-connected bunch and it really shows.

He’s got his team adopting a championship mindset with the home stretch looming, tuning out the noise of their impressive success.

“We don’t talk too much about it, you know about being undefeated and being ranked. They have bought in to just our next game,” Seidl said of his team’s handling of success. “A trade of a championship team is to take everybody seriously. It’s again back to that maturity. They have good chemistry and they play the right way.”

Olivet will put its unbeaten record on the line Friday, Feb. 10 for a GLAC showdown when Lansing Christian (11-5, 5-3) comes to town.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning.

Copyright 2023 WILX. All rights reserved.