By Nolan Epstein (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Billings managed to post an overall record of 12-13 last season, an improvement of two wins compared to its 2014-15 campaign, and the Wildcats are ready to take the next step with a younger group of kids this year.
The Wildcats showed some flashes of greatness last season by nabbing wins by 25 points or more on five separate occasions and claiming victories in four of its final six regular-season contests, but fell in the first round of its district tournament to Morrisville.
“We had a decent year and won the Sarcoxie tourney,” head coach Kendall Tilley said. “I thought we played well late in the year.”
It won’t be easy when it comes to building off last season, however, as Billings has to carry on without two of its top players in Kaleb Clinton and Kyle Kimberling.
Clinton and Kimberling, who combined to score over 1,400 points during their time at the school, made the Billings basketball engine go. Clinton led the team with 13.5 PPG and was the team’s top free-throw shooter, while Kimberling was a major threat from beyond the arc – draining 46 3-pointers in 2015-16.
“We lost three seniors from last years team,” said Tilley. “I’m looking forward to working with a younger group that wants to get better and succeed.”
Thankfully for Tilley, who enters his 10th season as head coach of the Wildcats, he sees the return of a pair of talented juniors, starting with sharpshooter Luke Johnson. The junior averaged 10.4 PPG last season and had the club’s best field-goal percentage.
Johnson is joined on the floor by fellow junior Jacob Smith (7.2 PPG), who led Billings in the 3-point shooting percentage column.
Wyatt Wilson, a senior for Tilley’s team that averaged nearly 6 PPG, will put in a lot of minutes on the floor along with sophomore Tyler Essick (9.8 PPG).
All told, the Wildcats don’t exactly boast a ton of height, but will utilize other qualities to its advantage in hopes of competing in a tough SWCL.
“We are a small team and will need to use our quickness to make up for that,” Tilley said. “We will be competitive and hopefully surprise a few teams.”
Billings is going to spend a large brunt of its time in tournament play early in the season as the Wildcats play only three true home/road games (vs. Chadwick, at Marionville, vs. Sparta) before Jan. 1.
On Nov. 28, the Wildcats will compete in the Pierce City Invitational, followed by the Walnut Grove Holiday Classic starting Dec. 17. The tournament season wraps up with another trip to the Sarcoxie Tournament on Jan. 16.
Billings tips off the 2016-17 season on Nov. 22 at home against Chadwick.
