By Chris Parker
Marion C. Early has a strong senior group returning to lead the team this year. The Panthers are looking to improve on last year’s nine-win season.
They must replace their lone all-district selection in the graduated Dylan Blehm. Blehm led the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game and rebounding with 5.9 per game.
MCE has a quartet of seniors to lean on this year with guards Josh McMillen and Hadan Madewell being players coach Jonathan Winslow identified as team leaders.
McMillen is a four-year starter who scored 11.6 points per game last year to go with 5 assists per game. Winslow described him as a “very quick, good passer” who is “very competitive and a very hard worker”. He has committed to play at Baptist Bible College.
Madewell averaged 9 points per game last year. He has started since about halfway through his freshman year. He will be expected to score more this year and be one of the best defenders on the court.
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Chance Hampton (guard) and Gavin Duchscherer (forward) are the team’s other two returning seniors. Hampton was a role player off the bench last year, but will have a much bigger role this year. He is a strong shooter and defender. Duchscherer also came off the bench last year, but will find a role as a scorer, driver and rebounder this year.
Juniors Isaac Francka and Zac Ellis along with sophomores Jacob Presley and Landen Burrow will be newcomers to watch.
Francka led the JV as a guard last year. Winslow said he has a high basketball IQ and is a tough and competitive players. Ellis didn’t play basketball until his freshman year, but has grown by leaps and bounds throughout high school.
Presley was the junior varsity’s leading scorer as a freshman. He will bring that scoring and some size to the varsity lineup this year. Burrow is a strong, quick guard who didn’t play last year but will contribute on both ends of the floor this year.
Guard play will be a strength, but the Panthers must attack the boards.
“Our guard play should be good. We have a senior point guard and several others with experience and the young guards are talented. Our chemistry and togetherness should be a positive factor as well,” Winslow said. “Rebounding will be something we need to do better. We need to play for one another and play together and I think we will be successful.”
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MCE will host a jamboree on Nov. 18 with Chadwick, Stockton and Fair Play. The Panthers open regular season play Nov. 29-Dec. 4 at their home tournament.
“I expect us to work hard every day and grow together as a group,” Winslow said. “Although we have a lot of experience in spots we lost several seniors so this group hasn’t played together as a group that much. I expect us to compete and get better and be a tough out by the end of the year.”
