An early look at Ozark Conference
The Ozark Conference race features several of the state’s top teams and players and an intriguing mix of talented upperclassmen and rising youngsters. See who is making waves in the league and drawing the attention of college coaches. Top player…
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Continue ReadingThe Ozark Conference race features several of the state’s top teams and players and an intriguing mix of talented upperclassmen and rising youngsters. See who is making waves in the league and drawing the attention of college coaches.
Top player
Jared Ridder, 6-7, Jr., Kickapoo
Dandy Dozen
Garrett Cunningham 6-6 Sr. Parkview
Cam Davis 6-1 Jr. Kickapoo
Darrian Guillory 6-3 Sr. Joplin
Lavell Hale 6-3 Sr. Hillcrest
Monty Johal 6-2 So. Glendale
Isaac Johnson 6-2 Sr. Kickapoo
Joe Johnson 5-9 Sr. Waynesville
Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy, 6-2, Sr., Kickapoo
Jordan Walton 6-0 So. Glendale
Kobe Wands 5-9 Sr. Rolla
Outlook
1. KICKAPOO CHIEFS:
Have the leagues premier player in Jared Ridder (6-7, Jr.) and perhaps four of the top players in the league in Isaac Johnson (6-2, Sr.), Niekie Thomas (6-2, Sr.) and Cam Davis (6-1, Jr.). The Chiefs are off to a huge start having gone 5-0 and have several huge wins already early in the season. They are the favorite in the upcoming Blue and Gold Tournament.
2. ROLLA BULLDOGS: This might be one of the best outside shooting teams the league has seen in some time. They lost some depth and size with the graduation of Caleb Copeland, Carter Wands, Shane O Brennan and others, but the Bulldogs will promote Zach Brown and Logan Short into bigger roles this season. Those two combined with returning starters Sam Marshall and Kobe Wands can really fill it up from the outside.
They have terrific chemistry on the court together and have a lot of the pieces necessary for a big run. Where they might be lacking is depth as the Bulldogs likely won’t be quite as deep as they were a year ago.
3. GLENDALE FALCONS: Have two of the leagues top young players in sophomores Monty Johal (6-2) and Jordan Walton (5-11). Johal is averaging more than 20 points per game through the early stages of the season, while Walton set the Springfield freshman scoring record last season.
The key for Glendale might be he emergence of their senior class. Senior guards Tristan Baker and Zach Helm played well from what we saw this summer and have improved, and the Falcons will need senior Will Sachs and junior transfer Spencer Wester to do the dirty work inside. Glendale has played a tough early season schedule and are off to a 4-3 start.
4. PARKVIEW VIKINGS (sixth, 11-16, 4-5) Have a rock solid starting five with the leagues best big man in senior Garrett Cunningham (6-6) and four other players who were starting by seasons end in 2015.
The Vikings have junior guard JT Brown (6-1) and senior wings Cameron Satterfield (6-3) and Jordan Bollenbach (6-1). Satterfield is likely poised for a big season with a smooth shooting stroke. The key to their season could be the emergence of junior newcomer Brady Hill (6-2). A transfer from Kickapoo, Hill provides size and an outside shooting touch.
5. WEST PLAINS ZIZZERS: West Plains lost one of the areas most experienced and accomplished tandems in PG Zach Flippin and F Justin Davis to graduation, but the team they figure to put on the floor this season will still be similar to last years — tough and physical with some size and strength.
The combination of Chase Riley and Christian Robbins had some nice moments this summer. Riley is an athletic forward and Robbins is a strong SG who was more aggressive looking to score this summer. West Plains has a ton of size and strength in the paint and teams will have to bring their lunch pail to knock them off.
6. WAYNESVILLE TIGERS: The emergence of senior guards Reggie Walker and Dwayne Morton coupled with tfour-year varsity starter Joe Johnson could form one of the better guard trios in area hoops. Waynesville also has a key big man in 6-5 senior Cedric Williams as well. The Tigers have already played a tough non-conference schedule and are off to a 3-2 start to the season.
7. LEBANON YELLOWJACKETS: This has a chance to be the best Lebanon team in several years, with multiple players that can score on the court together and a very strong backcourt. The ‘Jackets feature senior guards Trent Millsap, Connor Hicks, Cooper Lowe, junior Jack Ehrhardt and sophomore Will Richardson. They are off to a slow start record wise at 1-3, but have shown flashes of strong play along the way.
8. HILLCREST HORNETS: The Hornets are coming off a Final Four run, but lost one of the areas top players in Brady Petry, now playing at Missouri Southern. The Hornets have some talented players returning, including senior forward Lavell Hale (6-3), and sophomores Tim Washington (6-1) and Cole Pryor (6-0), but have been without junior guard Shahn Clark throughout the early going. They will need him back in the lineup to turn around an 0-5 start.
9. CAMDENTON LAKERS: Team lost a large senior class as well as an all-conference caliber player in PG Jake Teichmeier. The Lakers have a solid up-and-coming player in junior Dyllan Decker, but otherwise have a lot of guards standing between 5-8 and 6-foot. The Lakes can shoot the ball from the outside, as evidenced by the squad knocking down 20 3-pointers on the Lakers JV team in a varsity tournament early in the season.
10. JOPLIN EAGLES: Joplin has one of the leagues top players in Darrian Guillory, but he has been out of the lineup due to injury throughout the early going. Without the talented athlete, the Eagles have started the season 1-6.