By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Stockton High School boys’ basketball team return only about five points on offense from a team that went 18-8 overall and 3-2 in the Mid-Lakes Conference.
First-year head coach Derald Henderson, who previously served as an assistant at Warsaw High School, is looking to keep the Tigers on track.
Stockton lost four starters and five lettermen from last year’s team, and returns one starter and two lettermen.
The Tigers’ key losses include guard Colton Brown, who is playing baseball at State Fair Community College and was a first-team All-District and All-MLC selection, forward Alex Wheeler, who also is playing baseball at Missouri Southern State University and an Honorable Mention All-MLC pick, center Grant Kenney, second-team All-MLC and forward Eli Hubbard, Honorable Mention All-District and All-MLC.
Also gone from last season are forwards Adam Sullivan and Mark Bowles.
“We’re returning five points on offense with a total new group,” Henderson said. “We have a new group of kids that are going to have to adjust to varsity basketball.”
Returning from last year’s squad are 6-foot-2 senior Jacob Collins, who averaged 2.8 points, and 1.9 rebounds and 5-10 junior Jake Wheeler, who averaged 1.4 points and 2.27 assists per game.
“Jacob Collins is a great athlete with the ability to run the floor in transition,” Henderson said. “He has worked hard this summer to improve his jump shot. He has great size and should be a strong defender with the opportunity to be one of our leaders in offensive and defensive rebounding.
“Jake Wheeler is very competitive and fearless. He loves to play defense and applies pressure the entire length of the floor. He is a good ballhandler and understands where the ball needs to be.”
New to the Tigers’ roster this season are seniors Justin Pfeifer, Daymond Beckett and Drew Knoll.
Pfeifer, 5-10, is described as a good defender; Beckett, 6-2, is an inside scoring threat and rebounder and Knoll, 6-0, a good post defender.
Henderson will also look to these newcomers to make contributions: Connor Brown, 5-10 junior; Clayton Hubbard, 6-1 sophomore; Gannon Kenney, 6-3 sophomore; Jacob Greenlee, 6-0 sophomore; Drew Wheeler, 5-7 freshman and Haden Broksieck, 5-11 freshman.
“We played this summer, and it wasn’t perfect, but they’re learning a new system,” Henderson said. “The summer gave us some experience to build on for now. It will be different than what they did before. It’s training their mind to play fast. They can do it. We have the athleticism to be able to do that. It’s a mind-set.”
As a team last season, the Tigers averaged 57 points, including 4.3 3-pointers, 32.1 rebounds, 14.7 assists and 6.8 steals per game.
“We want to play fast, run the floor and have multiple pressure defenses,” Henderson said. “We want to press a little bit. The big idea is that we want to get out and run because we want to play a lot of players.”
Stockton opens the season at Pierce City before heading to the Lockwood Tournament.
“We need to learn and grow, learn a new system and we need to compete,” Henderson said. “And this year, we need to grow really fast. We need to progress and when the second half of the year comes, we need to put it together and be gelling so we’re playing well at the end of the year. That’s my goal.
“We have a really good group of kids and a supportive community, and I’m excited to get started and see what we can do.”
