Howell Puts Heart Into Memorial Meet

It’s been a remarkable season so far for the Cheboygan boys basketball players and coaches.

The undefeated varsity Chiefs are looking ahead to the new calendar year and their next opponent, Northern Shores Conference rival Elk Rapids. They also have the District tournament they’ll be hosting in February in their sights.  

But Scott Hancock is already looking ahead to the classes of 2035, 2036, 2037 and 2038. And nobody can blame him.

Hancock, a 1976 graduate of Cheboygan, has no intentions of ending his coaching career soon. He’d like to make it long enough to coach his youngest grandson Lincoln Hancock, who is already playing youth basketball in Cheboygan.

And while the Chiefs are finding success this year with the foundation Hancock helped build, the veteran coach can’t help but dream about his youngest grandson playing at Cheboygan High School.

“As a kindergartner he’s in Saturday basketball, and he loves the game,” Hancock said. “God willing, I plan to be there for him.”

Hancock is his 50th season in Cheboygan program. He enjoyed the opportunity to coach his two sons Nick and Brian, both school record holders. He’s also enjoyed coaching his grandson, Landon Gahn, the Chiefs’ junior point guard. Gahn played junior varsity for Hancock his freshman year and moved up to the varsity his sophomore season.

All but two of Hancock’s season were spent as the JV coach. He took the varsity job on an interim basis when current Cheboygan varsity coach, Jason Friday, was playing for the Chiefs in the late 1990s. 

On Dec. 9, the Chiefs officially named their home court the Scott Hancock Court. His family was on hand as well as current and former Northern Michigan coaches.

Hancock’s JV team lost that night to Alpena in overtime. The score was 50-50 when the fourth quarter buzzer sounded.

“Looking back, we should have just called the game at the end of regulation,” Hancock admitted. “I got a bunch of great kids this year. and it was a tough loss because it was an overtime loss.”

It was the only loss the Chiefs’ JV team has encountered so far this year. But wins and losses are not the focus of Hancock’s level of the program.

“I don't get too carried away with the wins and losses — I know what I'm there for,” Hancock explained. “I'm there to teach the kids to get them ready for the varsity.”

Hancock is considered by many to be the best coach in Cheboygan history. No counter argument can be found among the current varsity players and their head coach.

“He's the best coach that I've ever had — no bias because he's my grandfather,” acknowledged Gahn, who was found cheering from the bench as the Chiefs secured the victory earlier this week at Kingsley. “He teaches everything about basketball, but he doesn't really preach as much as he demonstrates being a good person. Just looking at him and what he does every day, you can just tell he's the guy that's doing everything right, even though nobody's watching.”

Senior Carson Kiefer helped lead the way for Cheboygan's varsity at Kingsley. He scored 12 points, with two 3-pointers. Kiefer credits Hancock for helping him improve his confidence on the court.

“I think he cares more about the person individually outside of sports,” said Kiefer, who is averaging 16 points per game. “It's fitting that he's a JV basketball coach, helping build players’ skills and confidence.”

Kiefer’s twin brother, Andrew, singled out Hancock’s commitment to the school.

“He's not just a school figure,” said Andrew Kiefer, who is averaging just under 12 points per game. “He is not just the coach.  He is a community guy all-around.”

The Chiefs varsity is getting strong contributions from their juniors this season. Nolan Schley is averaging 12 points per game, and he’s second on the team in rebounding.  And Gavin Smith is leading the team in rebounds and assists, collecting almost 10 boards and four dishes per game.

The Kiefers, Smith and Schley are part of the reason Friday is not surprised by the 6-0 start and seeking a District title for the first time since 2015. The last time Cheboygan won a conference championship was 2020, playing in the Straits Area Conference during Friday’s first season as boys head coach after previously coaching the girls varsity.

“We knew that our junior and senior classes had some talent in there,” Friday noted. “The boys really want to win a District championship, as well as a conference championship. The boys put a ton of time in the offseason to do everything they can to get over that hump and get both a conference and District championship.”

Cheboygan will host a Division 2 District tournament this season after falling 50-48 in last year’s Division 3 District Final – also at home. The Chiefs face a field including league foes Grayling, Kalkaska and Kingsley as well as Ogemaw Heights and Sault Ste. Marie. Cheboygan topped the Sault 67-43 earlier this year and will play a home-and-home series with Grayling in January.

For now, though, the Chiefs are thinking only about Elk Rapids. Cheboygan started 7-0 last year before falling to the Elks to start the new year.

“We're approaching 7-0 again, so having them coming up here on the schedule, we’re definitely going to be practicing a little harder and watching maybe a little more film and just preparing for the game more seriously,” Gahn said. “Coach Friday was saying last year that he can't remember the last time the team started off 8-0, and it was our eighth game that we lost to Elks. So we're hoping to beat them next time we play.”

The court naming did not come as a surprise to Hancock. He was informed in a meeting with Marty Mix, Cheboygan principal. He thought he had some papers to sign and was surprised his family was waiting in the office.

“He was completely shocked, and Coach Hancock doesn't like attention,” said Friday, who is also the school’s athletic director and was in the notification meeting. “Scott always likes to be in the background, and he handled it quite well.” 

And while his signature was placed on the court opening day this year, he points out the Hancock legacy started way before him.

“I'm more proud of the Hancock name on there more than the Scott part of it,” said Hancock, who also serves as the city’s as the parks and recreation director. “Believe me, my dad was a Chief through and through. He passed in 2006. I know he was there in spirit with us looking down.”

Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Longtime Cheboygan boys basketball JV coach Scott Hancock sends a starter onto the floor during introductions before a game against Kingsley. (Middle) The Hancock family takes a photo with Scott’s newly-added signature on the floor. From left: Landon Gahn, Brian Hancock, Olwyn Hancock, Scott Hancock, Marjean Hancock, Lincoln Hancock and Nick Hancock. (Below) Scott Hancock shakes hands with a Kingsley assistant coach. (Family photo courtesy of Chris Murdick. Other photos by Tom Spencer.)