By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Monett will usher in a new era with Jeremy Neville taking over. He brings nearly two decades of coaching experience in both basketball and football.
Neville inherits a team that will be led by four seniors, including All-Big 8 guard Blaine Salsman. One of the area’s best shooters, Salsman averaged 13.1 PPG as a junior.
“Blaine is poised to have a great season and show that he is a complete basketball player,” said Neville. “He will impress with his knock down shooting ability, but he probably hasn’t gotten credit for how good of a player he can be. I expect him to help lead this team to reach its full potential and compete well every day.”
Senior Isaiah Meeks is also back for the Cubs. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 2.6 points and 3.3 rebounds as a junior and should see a significantly larger role this season.
“He has not had the opportunity to consistently play big minutes and show what he is capable of,” said Neville. “Isaiah will be the man in the middle and play those minutes this season. While he will be expected to play a major offensive role, he has the potential to be special on the defensive end.”
Marcus Young and Jason Garner should also see significantly more playing time. Young is a 6-foot-2 athlete that adds perimeter size and Garner is a steady point guard.
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“Marcus is an impressive three-sport athlete who really has a strong competitive drive,” said Neville. “He is one of the more savvy players we have at Monett. He has a strong intelligence for the game of basketball and will provide a lot of physical toughness to our team.
“Jason is an impressive athlete with good quickness and strength. Jason will take on the point guard responsibilities and I expect him to show great leadership this season. He will surprise people who have overlooked his strengths and may end up being considered as one of the better defensive players in the area.”
There will also be a bevy of newcomers to varsity action.
Seniors Silas Drake and Ethan Kurtz will add some size and athleticism, while classmates Daven Madrid and Ian Hildebrand will add backcourt depth.
Juniors Ian Waterman and Heisman Crockett will both look for backcourt reps as well. Sophomore Landon Thrasher, Landyn Brandt and Riley Rhea are the future of the program, but may be ready to compete right now.
Monett allowed just 51 PPG defensively last year and this year’s group will also be methodical.
“We are looking to establish an identity of fundamentally sound basketball that makes us hard to score against,” said Neville. “Our defense needs to take away good shots from our opponents and create transition opportunities for our offense. We will share the ball offensively and look to aggressively seek high percentage scoring opportunities.”
The Cubs won 14 games last year, the program’s first winning season since 2016. They’ll now hunt for their first district championship in more than a decade.
To compete, Neville believes his team will have to win the mental battle.
“I think it is extremely important to embrace the toughness, discipline, and execution that goes into consistently playing at a championship level,” said Neville “If you want to go places you haven’t gone, you must do things that you haven’t done. I am most concerned about getting our team to play together, work hard every day, and reach our full potential each season. If we do those things, the results will be what they are.”
Monett will host Springfield Catholic and El Dorado Springs for a jamboree on Nov. 17 before traveling to Carthage on Nov. 29 to open the 2022-23 regular season.
