Troy Pieper

My family, Coaching, and Sports. That pretty much sums it up!! Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at my hometown Merrill WI! #AWL #MerrillHoops #EnergyEffortExecute

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

My guys… I’m going to miss this group a lot. It was an honor coaching them and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of them. Please don’t be strangers, come back and visit when you can! Almost got all of them, this was my biggest senior basketball class. We were looking for Alex Koblitz in the masses but were unable to find him, and Charles Kalinowski (home schooled) also missing from the photo! Loved watching these guys grow over the past 4 years. Congrats to you all! #ClassOf2026 #MerrillBasketball

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Congrats on a great career. He’s been a great coaching friend, had many talks about philosophy and game planning and just coaching stuff over the last few years. I will still be picking his brain from time to time for sure! A great guy and great coach!

[Mark Miller @WisBBYearbook]

After 25 years and 350 victories, Kevin Orr has stepped down as the varsity boys' basketball coach at Rice Lake High School.

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

@GottliebShow Their spacing is so good, there is no help to be found because the spacing is so good.

[Wisconsin Family @Wisconsin_fam]

Star power in Milwaukee

Aaron Judge meets Kon Knueppel and family before the game.

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Great leader on and off the court, it’s an honor coach him! Looking forward to the see what his Senior year holds. Should have been 1st team, still frustrated about that.

[Tyson Ott @OttTyson31885]

Junior season highlights
⭐️2nd Team GNC⭐️
13.8 PPG✅
5.4 RPG✅
2.7 APG✅
1.7 SPG✅
47.6% 2pt FG‼️
34.8% 3pt FG‼️

@WIPlaymakers @PrepHoops_WI @WisBBYearbook @mosesk225

https://t.co/OPtjvUsYdh

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

@stoolpresidente @NjTank99 Mets are gonna be the death of him. I don’t know why he even gets mad anymore, they suck!

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

#FlyTheW Mets suck!!

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

🚨🚨BIG NEWS🚨🚨

Former Merrill great @quinnsteckbauer is coming back to bring 3 days of training to our boys and girls! This camp is very well run and I strongly encourage all to signup, this is an excellent opportunity for our youth and high school kids! #RollJays #EnergyEffortExecute @MerrillBluejays @WeAreMAPSchools @JAYSGBB @WJMT730

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

My @SleeperHQ HR Parlay for the day. #HomeRunPicks #Sleeper #MLBBets

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

This weekend watching these games at State has shown even more how bad we need a shot clock in High School basketball.

[Lemma the Optimist @DoctorLemma]

19 years ago, a high school basketball coach put his team manager into a game for the final four minutes. The kid had never played a single minute of competitive basketball in his life. He scored 20 points.

Jason McElwain was diagnosed with severe autism at age two. He didn’t speak until he was five. He couldn’t chew solid food until he was six. He wore a nappy for most of his early childhood. As a baby, he was rigid, wouldn’t make eye contact, and hid in corners away from other children.

He tried out for his school basketball team every year and got cut every time. Too small. Too slight. Barely 5’6 and about 54 kilograms. But he loved the game so much that his mum called the school and asked if there was any way he could be involved. The coach created a team manager role for him. For three years, McElwain showed up to every practice and every game. He wore a shirt and tie on match days. He ran drills, handed out water, kept stats, and cheered every basket like he’d scored it himself.

On 15 February 2006, the last home game of his final school year, the coach let him suit up in a proper jersey and sit on the bench. With four minutes left and a comfortable lead, the coach sent him in.

His first shot missed. His second missed. Then something shifted.

He hit a three-pointer. Then another. Then another. His teammates stopped shooting entirely and just kept passing him the ball. He hit six three-pointers and a two-pointer. 20 points in four minutes. The highest scorer in the game. When the final buzzer went, the entire crowd rushed the court and lifted him onto their shoulders.

His mum tapped the coach on the shoulder, in tears. “This is the nicest gift you could have ever given my son.”

McElwain won the ESPY Award for Best Moment in Sports that year, beating out some of the biggest names in professional sport. He’s 36 now. He works at a local supermarket, coaches basketball, has run 17 marathons including five Boston Marathons, and travels the country speaking about never giving up.

When asked about that night, his coach still gets emotional. “For him to come in and seize the moment like he did was certainly more than I ever expected. I was an emotional wreck.”

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Bad call to end it… but screw it!! #USA

[World Baseball Classic @WBCBaseball]

Team USA is headed back to the #WorldBaseballClassic Final for the THIRD STRAIGHT TIME!

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Someone check on DR’s biggest fan @hen_ease 2-1 USA!!

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

#AWL Gunnar Henderson ties it up!!! Sorry @hen_ease I know you are upset that #USA tied it up! @PardonMyTake @BarstoolBigCat

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Let’s Go… Congrats Cameron Young!!! Great finish! #ThePlayers

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

Cameron Young… HUGE putt! This is awesome! The brackets will have to wait! #ThePlayers

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

March Madness brackets revealed soon and until then watching a crazy final round of The Players, been a crazy final round! I’m rooting for Aberg or Cam Young… this is a crazy final round. #PGA #ThePlayers #MarchMadness

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

@BarstoolBigCat Rapp!!!!!!!! This team just doesn’t quit!

[Troy Pieper @CoachPieper]

RAPP!!!!!!!!! On fire!!