Building a Family: TJ Gillespie on Maumee’s Turnaround Season

In his second season at the helm, coach TJ Gillespie has guided Maumee boys basketball to a dramatic turnaround — doubling last year’s win total and bringing playoff basketball home.

But this conversation goes far beyond the scoreboard.

Coach Gillespie shares what defines a “TJ Gillespie team”: family first, relentless energy, accountability and daily commitment. He discusses how having a full year under his belt allowed the program to move beyond foundational teaching and into culture-building.

We dive into:

• The impact of mental health check-ins with players
• The importance of coaching consistency with assistants Tia Crape and Jim Richardson
• The leadership growth of Ben Kubicz and Will Kubicz
• Owen Kennedy’s transformation through relentless offseason work
• The progression of sophomore point guard Dom Poellnitz
• The unsung heroes whose practice roles fuel Friday night wins
• The midseason turning point that changed the team’s energy
• Learning from tough losses at Lake and Genoa
• What it means to host a playoff game in Maumee

This is a conversation about development, trust, culture and doing things the right way.

Panther fans — this is one you don’t want to miss.