By John Miller (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It’s hard to find a tougher schedule than what the Bolivar Liberators went through last year. Of their 25 games, 15 came against either district winners or district runner-ups.
“Playing against great programs and great coaches always demands the best,” noted coach Robby Hoegh. “As competitors, that’s what you want.”
Last year, the Liberators went 12-13 in their first year playing without a conference. They had success offensively, averaging 59 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range, and 67 percent from the foul stripe. Bolivar also did an excellent job taking care of the basketball, averaging only 12 turnovers per game.
Gone from last year’s squad are six key players: Ian Jones, Levi Manning, Jaden Spindler, Hayden Tucker, Brock Pitts, and Kaden Katzer. Jones is now playing collegiately for Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. With four starters and six lettermen graduated, playing time will be up for grabs this winter.
Among the key returners for Bolivar is senior guard Hunter Berry, who averaged 10 points and 2.3 assists per game last year. He’ll be asked to provide leadership and stability to a group of inexperienced Liberators.
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“Hunter is a competitor,” Hoegh noted. “We can always count on Hunter to give his very best in the games but also each day in practice. He has worked hard to capitalize on his potential. He is really hard to take off the floor because of the effort he plays with and his basketball intelligence.”
Other key returners for Bolivar are senior guards Cooper Hitchcock and Dylan Rowell. Hitchcock played behind Jones at point guard last year and had a chance to learn from every day in practice. “He is one tough competitor and a great teammate that is always the first to offer up encouragement to others,” Hoegh said. “Dylan is what we like to call a ‘Polk County Grinder,’ working each day to get the most out of his ability and doing whatever he can to help.
Senior forward Brodie Pollock is back after a stellar year last year at JV. “This guy plays the game with the 3 Es,” Hoegh said. “Energy, Effort, and Enthusiasm. For our Futures Squad (JV) last year, he had 40-some points in a game last year. While some players, who are blind to their own juice, may let it go to their head, Brodie took the impressive feat the way you would expect from a guy who knows what his juice is all about.”
Bolivar will also look for contributions from a group of newcomers that include seniors Cooper Bushey and Seth Batten, juniors Jace Krueger, Bo Banner, and Luke Meents, sophomore Josh Bowes, and freshman Kyle Pock.
Senior Josh Francisco will also contribute on the varsity level.
“Our team may not win that many games with the ‘eye test,’ but what could make us a strong force and tough team to beat is our ability to mesh our skills together,” Hitchcock said. “Our chemistry must be our biggest strength. If that is the case, our output can be greater than the sum of our parts.”
Added Berry: “Bolivar basketball is about getting things done together – a total team effort. I want our team to demonstrate that with how we approach the season. We want to be the team that embodies the statement, ‘It is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”
