Prospect Watch: Nathan Burnett (2019)
Class of 2019 guard Nathan Burnett of Risco was the catalyst of one of the top turnaround seasons in the state of Missouri.
Burnett entered the starting lineup as a freshman for Risco, which finished the 2016 season with a 10-17 record. As a sophomore, Burnett took his game to another level and the xx went right along with it as they finished 25-3 and played for a Class 1 district championship.
“It was really fun being one of the leaders this season,” Burnett said. “This definitely has been the most fun I’ve had on any team I’ve played on. It was fun to win three of out four tournament championships, have the longest winning streak in school history and have the school’s best record at 25-3.”
The 5’10” sharpshooter led the way for Risco with his scoring and all-around excellent play at the point guard position. He finished the season averaging 19.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.9 steals a game.
Burnett shot 45 percent from the field, made 87 3-pointers while shooting 41 percent from long distance. He also shot 76 percent from the free throw line. Burnett also enjoyed some big scoring nights along the way. He scored a season-high 42 points against Delta, 39 points against South Pemiscot and 31 points against Twin Rivers.
“What has made me a successful shooter is how much repetition I get in,” Burnett said. “Every seventh hour in gym, I get about 250-300 shots a day. And during the games, the presence of our inside game of Drew Fortner and Mason Ludwig really opens out the outside shots for the shooters.”
The next step for Burnett in his career is leading Risco to a district championship. The Tigers were edged for the Class 1 district championship 54-50 by perennial state power Scott County Central.
“The experience at the district championship game was great,” he said. “The atmosphere was very high and the gym was jam-packed. What I learned from that game was to never take a play for granted because during districts, taking a play off will most likely cost you the game if it’s a close one.