“It’s our last ride. We’re gonna make it the best honestly,” Trey Sagester said. “If the state championship is an end goal, then hopefully we can get there as a unit and then celebrate at the end. If we can’t, then hopefully we accomplish everything else that we could along the way.”
Trey said they haven’t really talked about winning a state title. It is reasonable to believe that goal is achievable as January is with the Patriots ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps RPI ratings for Division VI’s Southwest District and also second in the state.
It’s assumed between the Sagesters and their team to be that end goal they all want to reach.
And Trey doesn’t have to look far within his family to find examples of what championship pedigree looks like in trying to achieve one.
His dad led Tri-Village to its 2015 boys state title. His sister, Rylee, was the star for the school’s girls state champion squad in 2023. One household boasts the only pair of 30-0 boys and girls seasons finished by one school in OHSAA history.
“There’s nothing more I’d like to do to get him that pinnacle,” Josh Sagester said of Trey.
“[Trey] was my little ball boy. If you look at that picture when we won the state championship in ‘15, he was about up to here,” he said while holding his hand near his knee. “I’ve had all these guys for a long time. They’re all really good friends with my son and it’s a close group, close group of parents and close group of kids.”
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
It’s a family affair for the Sagesters on the hardwood in New Madison. Josh’s father and his nephew are currently also on his bench as assistants.
Together they all have been the backbone of Tri-Village’s rise and sustainment as a Southwest Ohio small school power.
Rylee set the example of the path to follow for Trey growing up and he is mirroring his sister’s senior year so far. Rylee was a 2,000-plus point scorer, became the OHSAA record holder for three-pointers made in a career with 401, and is in the top-10 of most career games played.
Trey conceivably is on pace to also reach 2,000 career points if he maintains his 23.6 points per game scoring averaging this season and parlays it with a run to a district title, and he can enter the OHSAA record books with 20 more three-point makes. Should Trey appear in each game the rest of the year, he’ll become the 10th player in state history to play in at least 100 career games.
“I think he’s had a tremendous career,” Josh Sagester said. “He’s on everyone’s scouting report. He’s getting the best defender night in and night out, and being face guarded, box-and-1, and so on. I think sometimes it takes a little bit of a toll on him, but I think he’s done a really good job of handling the demands of being the guy and he’s had a really good career.”
The one thing Trey said he knows is more difficult to match is that state title.
“Obviously she’s got a state championship and 30-0. Hopefully I can one-up her, because it’s my last year, but hopefully I at least tie her. But we’ll see,” Trey Sagester said.
Trey said he doesn’t ask for much in the way of advice from Rylee, and appreciates the way she supports him.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
“She’s a pretty supportive sister. She may say a thing or two at home, but out here in the public eye she’s in,” Josh Sagester said, who noted how recent opposing students are heckling Trey more during games.
“She’s a big sister and she wouldn’t like that a whole lot. But they both put in a lot of time as Rylee is a gym rat and we’re a basketball family.”
Josh frequently displays his pride for his children’s accomplishments on his personal social media accounts and likes providing behind the scenes looks at his joyful moments.
As the head coach at Tri-Village, he has compiled more than 300 combined wins during his two stints in charge. He said he’s trying to cherish not just each one added to the tally that Trey helps produce, but what the memories will mean when it’s all said and done.
“I’m trying to keep everything in perspective,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to be coaching [Trey] and on top of being the superintendent to get that opportunity, it’s very special. And I’m kind of in my mind, I’m saying, ‘Okay, we’ve got seven left. We got six.’ And yeah, it’s getting a little bit where it’s crossing my mind here and there that we’re heading down the back stretch.”
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
TV has seven games left in the regular season, including three to decide the Western Ohio Athletic Conference where the Patriots are tied with Preble Shawnee, and a rescheduled road game outside the league to Vandalia Butler to close the schedule before tournament play arrives.
Should Tri-Village get through the year unblemished it would end at best 29-0 as they would potentially play one fewer tournament game than past teams due to the new tournament structures from expanded divisions.
30-0 may not be matchable, but another undefeated run to a state title would be just as great a feeling for the Patriots and the Sagesters.
They’re halfway there.
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