By John Miller
Anytime your season includes a conference championship, you can consider it a success. That was certainly the case for the Branson Pirates last season.
The team finished with an overall record of 17-11, but went 6-1 through the Central Ozark Conference Large Division, claiming the title. The Pirates’ season ended in the Class 5 District 11 semifinals to Ozark, 65-47.
Unfortunately, of the players that helped win that conference title last year, only a small handful return. Four senior starters have graduated leaving many question marks on who will fill their void.
“We lost four senior starters last year, and we have many questions with this group,” said Pirates coach Kirk Hanson, who has a 42-39 record as he enters his fourth year at Branson. Hanson is just 22 wins from reaching 800 wins in his coaching career (778-530).
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Gone from last year are key contributors Colby Sutton, Montana Myer, Seth Wood, and Christian Powell. Sutton is running track at Southwest Baptist. Wood is playing basketball at Central College in Iowa. Powell is playing basketball at Webster University. Myer is attending Oklahoma Christian as a full-time student.
“Last year, we won the COC-Large Division to many people’s surprise,” Hanson said. “We don’t have very much experience returning on the varsity level. If we can play as a team, we can be successful.”
Hanson will rely heavily on returning starter and senior Nick Dapprich, who averaged 12 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last year.
But Dapprich can’t do it alone. He’ll need contributions from a variety of teammates if the Pirates are to defend their COC-Large Division crown.
“I hope the players who are returning realize that we were successful last year because we had a great group of character players,” Hanson said. “We had players who realized that the only way we were going to be good was to play together.”
Six newcomers will see significant varsity action this season and will be counted on to make an impact. These players include 6-foot-1 forward Brandt Morrow, 6-foot guard Hunter Weber, 6-foot-3 forward Zach Johnston, 6-foot guard Cameron Banks, 5-foot-9 guard Jacob Banks, and 6-foot guard Colin Pepper.
