For Dylan Dorfmeyer and his Gibsonburg basketball season, this season has been a success — so far.

Currently, the Bears are 10-1 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference, putting them at first place.

Dorfmeyer is averaging 13.2 points on 40 percent shooting from the floor, including 38 percent from the three-point line. He’s also getting the job done at the free-throw line, shooting 81 percent from the charity stripe.

Dylan Dorfmeyer (Press photo by Doug Hise)

“We know he can shoot, (and) he gets to the line a lot,” Coach Brent Liskai said of the 5-foot-9 Dorfmeyer.

Dorfmeyer, a shooting guard, is part of a balanced scoring attack that includes small forward Nate Yarborough (14.2) and point guard Gage Beaber (14.1) and Logan Jones, the center, averaging 12.1 points. Adam Clark, who plays power forward, rounds out the team’s starting lineup.

“They play off each other real well,” said Liskai, now in his 10th season. “(It’s important) to appreciate your teammates.”

The team came into the season with high expectations, and thus far, they lived up to them. Last season, the Bears had one of their best seasons, advancing to the Division III district finals before losing to Ontario, 71-63, in overtime.

Dorfmeyer’s success stems from his work ethic, which Liskai says has shone through since his days at the junior varsity level.

“My freshman and sophomore year, when I was on JV,” said Dorfmeyer, who hopes to play baseball at Lourdes College next year. “I worked on becoming a shooter and worked on developing my game before I got to that next level. I was able to work on other parts of my game.” 

He talks about playing basketball over the summer with Woodmore star Donny Bowen, something that helped Dorfmeyer to become a better player. 

“Every day during the summer, said Dorfmeyer, “I’d shoot for an hour or two.”

One of the things many don’t know about Dorfmeyer is that he lives with diabetes. In fact, there are several well-known athletes who have balanced diabetes with intense athletic competition, including Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and five-time Olympic gold medalist Gary Hall Jr. — further proof that the illness can be seen as an obstacle rather than as a roadblock.

For Dorfmeyer, monitoring his blood sugar and being conscious of his health comes second nature. He’s been stricken with the illness nearly his entire life. He says that he’s used to dealing with the situation, but Liskai knows that he must keep an eye on Dorfmeyer.

Liskai, who also teaches U.S. and World History at the high-school level and serves as the school’s athletic director, credits Dorfmeyer for taking care of himself.

“With Dylan’s condition, he (basically) monitors himself,” Liskai said. “He knows when he’s got to take care of his body. (And) his teammates understand what he’s going through. I tell him, ‘You go as hard as you can and let me know (when you need a break).’”

“(It’s) a credit to him and his doctor — he monitors his situation well.”

In Gibsonburg’s two biggest wins this season, against Toledo Christian (57-53) and Maumee Valley Country Day (46-43), Dorfmeyer was responsible for the game-winning baskets. Against the Eagles, he made a three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining to give the Bears a one-point advantage, and against the Hawks, he connected on two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to help Gibsonburg take the lead back.

Whether or not the Bears win the TAAC will come down to how they perform in a few remaining games. The final nine games include trips to Toledo Christian (Feb. 7) and Emmanuel Christian (Feb. 24) as well as a home game Tuesday against Maumee Valley. 

“We’re like brothers,” Dorfmeyer said. “We’ve got each other’s back. We want to win the TAAC and go farther in the tournament than we did last season.”

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