By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Ozark is entering the 2020-21 season on a high after going 18-11 and claiming yet another district championship before having its season ended by perennial power Columbia Rock Bridge in a double overtime sectional game.
The Tigers must replace a talented senior class, led by All-Central Ozark Conference pick AJ Elliott, but the cupboard is hardly bare for Mark Schweitzer, in what will be his eighth season as head coach and 14th overall at Ozark.
The return of junior Ethan Whatley and senior Kyle Flavin gives Ozark a potentially potent scoring duo. Both were starters last year, with Whatley averaging 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds and Flavin adding 9.5 points and knocking down a team-high 51 3-point FG.
“Ethan was our second leading scorer last year,” said Schweitzer. “He really found his shooting stroke but he also scores a lot in transition and within our motion movement. He was our most consistent player the second half of the season last year, as a sophomore. I look for him to step into our spotlight this year as a guy our opponents will need to try and stop. He’s received D-2 interest since last season.
“Kyle was our perimeter scorer last season that saw the other team’s best perimeter defender. He has deep range and can stretch the floor. He’s received some D-2 interest and if he can show that he’s more than a shooter we will be a lot harder to guard. We need Kyle to have a big year…Kyle needs Kyle to have a big year. He is too good of a player to not be at the top of people’s lists as one of the top players in the Ozarks. His play needs to gain consistency and if he does we will be one of the better teams in the area.”
Seniors Blaine Cline, Cannon Cox and Owen Brockman are all experienced players and will take on larger roles this season.
At 6-foot-3, Cline has a frame and athleticism that allows him to score it at every level (7.5 PPG as a junior). Cox and Brockman will help run the backcourt and share point guard duties. Schweitzer loves the make and potential of this trio.
“Blaine was our first forward off the bench last year, but started some as well,” said Schweitzer. “We need him to score on the inside and rebound the basketball. He’s another player that has some local colleges looking but hasn’t gotten any offers yet. He needs to break out this year and I think he is capable.
“Cannon and Owen were junior point guards that ran the point for us the majority of the year until Jake Skaggs finally won that competition and took the starting job the last part of the season. Both of these guards bring unique styles to the PG position for us. Cannon is our QB1 in football and has a playmaking mentality. He can get teammates buckets when he plays well. Owen is a better game manager and controls pace really well. He’s the more conservative option and he plays tough defense. These two will run our point this year.”
Junior Tyler Harmon could become a name to know in the COC. He is the Tigers returning leader in rebounding (3.5) and assists (2.9). He also averaged 7.2 points as a sophomore. His all-around presence will be pivotal for Ozark.
“Tyler was an energizing player that started the majority of the year last year as a sophomore,” said Schweitzer. “We’re looking for him to elevate his play and decision making because when he is playing well and leading our competitiveness then we are a better team. We need his defense and playmaking ability. He’s also a potential breakout player that could gain local college interest.”
Seniors Ethan Pritchard and Jaylen Weston, as well as juniors Avery Voysey and Greydon Miller will also see increased minutes and roles this year for Ozark. Weston and Miller are both about 6-foot-5, bringing additional size and length to the lineup. Pritchard is a gritty 6-foot-2 and Voysey will add guard depth.
“These four players will help our production on the glass and bring their own individual strengths to our offense,” said Schweitzer. “Jaylen will be a huge help inside defensively and moves well in our motion. Ethan is a football kid that plays basketball. He will help defend the post and use his strength as an undersized post off the bench. He has a good mid-range jump shot to go along with his game. Avery has the potential to be a breakout junior performer this year. He is a lot like Whatley and can score in a variety of ways. He has a great feel for the game. Greydon is our tallest player and one of our best perimeter shooters. If he can prove he belongs this year I think he will gain college interest and make a name for himself as well.”
This team will have a different identity without Elliott, likely offering a return to the space and pace teams that were seen earlier in Schweitzer’s tenure.
Still, Ozark expects to compete for conference and district championships in what will be a loaded local scene with Kickapoo and Nixa being two of the best teams in Missouri, Webb City returning a ton from a Class 4 quarterfinal team and Joplin, Glendale, Republic and Neosho all returning some of the area’s top individual talents.
For the Tigers to make a run, they’ll again lean heavily on having a gauntlet of a schedule to prepare them for postseason basketball, as well as a balanced and deep roster.
“I have always thought to be the best you have to beat the best,” said Schweitzer. “You can’t beat the best unless you play them. We really have beefed up our schedule and it has cost us some 20-win seasons in my seven years as head coach, but I want our kids to fear nobody. Fear of failure keeps everyone from reaching their potential in life and I’m trying to teach our kids to compete in life like we compete on the court. You have to compete against the best to learn from the best. It also makes winning that much more special. If we can get around 20 wins on our schedule, we’ve accomplished something.
“This team will be another balanced attack with various leading scorers throughout the season. We are even deeper this year. The blend of experience and newcomer competition for minutes will drive our practices. If I can get them to truly share the ball, we will be hard to guard. Our kids need to be hungry. They need to approach each day with a purpose to get better. We will be pushing each other every day and the competition for playing time in our program this year will be a daily grind. As long as we embrace that competition in the right way and kids put the team before themselves, I think we will be in the thick of everything. This team has the ability to be one of the top teams in this area. But they have to set out to prove it each night out. We need to utilize our depth, play aggressive defense, and rebound the basketball. If we do that we will be successful this season.”
