By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Few teams are more excited to kick off the 2020-21 season than Greenwood. Entering Darren Taylor’s 17th season at the helm, the Jays are coming off of a 26-4 campaign that ended at the hands of eventual Class 2 state champion Hartville, 49-47, in the quarterfinal round.
After winning it all in 2018, and with everyone returning from last year’s group, expectations around the program couldn’t be higher.
“While we had a great year last year we feel like we have more to accomplish and have worked hard to take the next step,” said senior captain Aminu Mohammed.
Any steps forward for Mohammed will be bad news for everyone else.
The former Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year is coming off of a season that saw him average 34.8 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He’s a consensus 5-star prospect, earning offers from all across the nation, with four Power 5 conferences being represented.
In a career that will see him go down as one of the most decorated high school basketball players in Missouri history, Mohammed has found a way to add something to his game each of the last two seasons.
It’s that all-around ability that makes him one of the nation’s top prospects.
“Aminu is a do everything type player who can score, rebound, defend and distribute the ball,” said Taylor.
What many assumed would be the Aminu Mohammed Show has blossomed into a deep and impressive roster, with contributions and versatility throughout.
Fellow senior captain Grant Harper is back after leading Greenwood in assists for the second straight season, handing out 7.4 assists as a junior to go along with eight points and 2.7 steals. The 5-foot-11 point guard is being recruited by several four-year programs.
“Grant is a true point guard with great quickness that makes him extremely hard to guard,” said Taylor. “He has an excellent assist to turnover ratio.”
Underclassmen Tommy Pinegar and Kaden Stuckey have been Day One starters for the Jays. Pinegar, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, is receiving Division One interest and rapidly developing into one of the state’s top shooters. Stuckey, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, is considered a top-five prospect by Prep Hoops Missouri in the 2023 class after averaging 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds as a freshman.
Sophomore Nicolas Burri returns after averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds as a freshman starter. He’s one of the program’s top defenders, often drawing the opponent’s top scorer. Junior Ryan Gibbons was the team’s sixth man and will likely return to a similar role this winter.
Seniors Cooper Clark and Dominic Polly, juniors Wil Schaller and Zach Bailey, as well as sophomore Paul Weeks, also return after lettering in 2019-20.
Greenwood will also add several impact newcomers this winter.
The biggest addition, literally and figuratively, is 6-foot-9 senior Victory Naboya, who is eligible after sitting out his junior season. Naboya gives the Jays a rim protector and rebounder, but also provides size that every coach covets.
Juniors Gage Smart and Seydina Diouf, as well as sophomore Griffin Litherland, will also compete for varsity minutes.
Another intriguing piece to the puzzle will be 6-foot-2 freshman Tanner Jones, the son of former Duke standout and NBA veteran Dahntay Jones.
Greenwood’s schedule does them no favors. The Jays will again be in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions and Blue and Gold Tournament, as well as the Willard Tournament and several other big games.
It’s no secret that the feeling around the program is championship or bust, with Harper perhaps putting it best.
“We came up short of our goal last year but look forward to our senior year,” said Harper. “We have worked in the off season to achieve success.”
