By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Following a single victory two years ago, Ash Grove rebounded last season with a 10-14 record.
Entering his third year with the Pirates, head coach Grant Williamson was pleased with his team’s progress.
“It was our first season of double digit wins in a few years and we made a lot of strides in developing as a team,” Williamson said. “We knew we had the ability to be competitive with many teams and proved to ourselves that we were capable of being successful.”
While Williamson hopes to continue making strides this season, he’ll need to replace a pair of talented seniors first.
“Jake Thompson and Tanner Wilmon will both be missed next year,” Williamson said. “Tanner was a versatile player that defended at the basket for us but could handle the ball. Jake was a tough defensive stopper. He did all of the dirty work and we’ll be looking to replace that.”
A trio of Pirates will step into leadership roles in Sam Moreland, Brady Nicholson and Brock Mooneyham.
Moreland, a 6-foot-3 senior, averaged 19.6 points last season and shot 44.6 percent from beyond the arc. He is on pace to reach the 1,000-point mark for career scoring at some point this season.
“Sam is quietly one of the best shooters in SWMO, in my opinion, and his percentage backs that up,” Williamson said. “He is long and maturing in his play. He will be looked at to be more than just a shooter this year, but someone who can make plays all over the floor.”
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Nicholson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, averaged 17.2 points per game.
“Brady had a phenomenal freshman year and will look to build on that this year,” Williamson said. “He is a very well-rounded player. He and Sam make for a solid one-two punch. He is tough and can get to the basket, as well as knock down shots.”
A 6-foot junior, Mooneyham averaged 7.8 points per contest.
“Brock is a good athlete and a pesky defender,” Williamson said. “He has also developed the ability to use that athleticism to beat people off the dribble and make plays. He’s known for his football and baseball abilities, but he makes an impact on the court, as well.”
Junior Nate Trammel, senior Zane Delk and junior Elijah Morrison also return for the Pirates.
Ash Grove also welcomes a trio of newcomers to its varsity roster in junior Tyler Tummons, sophomore Asher Rust and senior Colin Doles.
With a nice mix of talent and experience on the roster, Williamson believes his team is ready to compete.
“I think we can have a lot of success this season,” Williamson said. “We did a great job last year of taking care of the ball and shot at a solid percentage. This year we will look to be even faster in transition and more efficient in the half court. Defensive rebounding will be a big focus for us as it was a problem for us at times last year. Overall we believe that we can compete with almost anyone on our schedule and in our conference.”
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With a host of shooters on the roster, Williamson will look to maximize possessions and get his team as many looks at the basket as possible.
“We are a team that wants to play aggressive and fast on both ends of the floor,” Williamson said. “It may seem chaotic at times, but we are okay with that. We want our opponents to feel like they never have a break on either end of the floor. I believe we have a group that really enjoys playing that way this year, which really helps with buy-in to our system.”
Ash Grove tips off its season Nov. 23 at home against Crane.
