By Chris Parker
Sparta boys basketball is a team on the rise with the team’s three-leading scorers returning from last season. The Trojans finished 6-17 overall, but they were a young team with all three of those leading scorers being underclassmen last year.
Kavan Walker (junior), Walker Loveland (sophomore), Dexter Loveland (forward) and Jacob Lafferty (sophomore) will be the team’s leaders this year.
Walker averaged 8 points and 3.2 assists per game last year.
“Kavan has a high basketball IQ and loves the game,” Sparta head coach Deric Link said. “He has done a great job in the offseason of leading by example and being our best communicator. He does a great job of getting his teammates involved.”
Walker Loveland will run the point. He averaged 3 assists and 3.5 points per game last year.
“Walker is our point guard,” Link said. “He plays the game with a tremendous energy level and has natural leadership qualities. He is the type of guy that will not ask you to do anything he is not willing to do or has not already done.”
Jacob Lafferty was the team’s leading scorer as a freshman. He poured in 17.3 points per game to go with a team-high 11 rebounds per game. Lafferty was named second-team all-conference. He was the only freshman to earn any all-conference honors in the SWCL.
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“Jake can have a massive impact on the game in so many ways,” Link said. “He has really started to come into his role as being a guy that can set the tone for your program in everything he does. We are starting to hear his voice more.”
Dexter Loveland gives Sparta another returning all-conference player. He was All-SWCL Honorable Mention after he averaged 13.8 points per game as a sophomore. He also was second on the team in rebounding with 6 rebounds per game.
“Dexter is probably one of the most skilled guys on our team,” Link said. “He does so much for us in just the way he can play the game.”
Steven Brown (junior guard), Luke Lafferty (senior guard) and Caden Roller (junior guard) all saw action in at least 10 varsity games last year.
Link on Brown: “Steven has been a two-year letterman who I think is poised to take a big step for us and lead us as a big time defender and rebounder. He is athletic and adds length to our roster. If we can improve his shooting percentage this year I think we will have a big year as a team. He got better as the year the went on last year, and I am looking forward to getting him back on the court.”
Link on Luke Lafferty: “Luke has the ability to play a big role for us this year as a senior. Luke has the ability to keep defenses honest by hitting the open three, taking care of the basketball, and being a great team defender.”
Link on Roller: “Caden is a key piece for us. He is a natural leader and has kind of taken that role. He is extremely coachable and does little things that help the team. He has the ability to finish at the rim, hit the timely three, rebound, and defend.”
Senior Wayman Williams Jr. along with sophomores Mason Letterman, Bradyn Davis and Rowdy Ball will all be newcomers to the varsity equation this year.
Link on Williams: “Wayman has the chance to be a big time energy guy for us. He is long and athletic and can have an impact coming off the bench and giving us some minutes down the stretch.”
Link on Letterman: “We have seen Mason make big strides in the offseason committing the defensive end, ball security, and his ability to get the basket and make plays for his teammates.”
Link on Davis: “Bradyn is an athletic kid who has taken the role to guard other team’s ball handlers and own that responsibility.”
Link on Ball: “Rowdy is probably one of the best shooters we have and knows his job is to come in and shoot the open three.”
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Sparta will bring athleticism and shooting to the floor this year, but must limit turnovers and be more consistent with that shooting.
“I think our greatest strength is going to be our athleticism and ability to pressure the basketball defensively. We are not extremely big at the guard position but we have some quickness we can use to our advantage. We have a chance to put 4 to 5 guys on the floor who shoot the basketball that will allow us to open some more gaps for our guys to play,” Link said. “There are a few things we need to improve. We have to take care of the basketball a lot better. We have to shoot the ball better consistently. We need to do a better job of coming together as a team in times of adversity.”
Sparta travels to Lebanon on Nov. 16 for a jamboree with Rolla and Lebanon. The Trojans open the regular season on Nov. 19 at Norwood.
“I think this can be a fun year for Sparta basketball. That all depends on how we take on every day. Every day we get the opportunity to do something and work toward something special. This is a good group of athletes and kids. They love the game and they love getting better. Everything depends on how quickly we can come together as a group and decide we want this to be a special year,” Link said. “Last year we battled quarantines just like other schools and with a new coach and new system it was tough. It was about growth in year one. We had a great summer where we challenged our kids and they responded well to those challenges. I look forward to seeing how we come together as a group and compete.”
