By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
2023 proved to be a banner year for Hillcrest basketball.
The 18-12 Hornets captured the program’s first district championship since 2015, falling in overtime to Jefferson City in the Class 5 quarterfinals.
“Last year we won our first district championship in eight years and made a quarterfinal appearance – something that had been four years in the making for our 2023 senior class,” head coach Jordan Fielding said. “Last year we had some underclassmen and returners play in big games. We are hoping their experience from those moments will help our team this year be successful.”
A pair of all-conference returnees are set to lead Hillcrest this season in AK Staten-Ballance and Tanner Hicks.
Staten-Ballance, a 6-foot-2 senior, averaged 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game as a junior.
“AK is the best kept secret in Springfield,” Fielding said. “Last year he battled injuries on and off which limited him from doing all he can do. He is an elite athlete with unreal athleticism. He can guard any position on the floor because of his strength and athleticism. He is a knock down shooter, can get to his spot in the mid-range and finish above the rim. We will rely on him to be a leader for us and to stay healthy this year.”
Hicks, a 6-foot junior, finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season.
“During our postseason run last year, Taner was one of our best players,” Fielding said. “He hit big shots in big moments. Taner is an elite defender. He is the only player in SWMO that can pick up players and guard them the full length of the court without getting beat. He is a super crafty guard who can shoot it and get into the lane. His role for us is huge this year. We will need him to defend and score at a high level if we are going to be successful.”
The pair will be joined by a trio of fellow returnees in Ethan Weaver, Malachi Shull and Levi Romero.
Weaver, a 6-foot-1 junior, averaged 5 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assists per game as a sophomore.
“Ethan was unbelievable for us last year,” Fielding said. “Constantly throughout the season he was thrown in and out of the starting lineup when we dealt with injuries. He is a strong, athletic guard who can be an elite defender. He is a good shooter who you can’t leave open. His role just gets bigger for us this year.”
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Shull, a 6-foot-3 senior and Romero, a 6-foot junior, return to more prominent roles in the lineup this season.
“Malachi is a great shooter who we need to be more aggressive,” Fielding said. “He is our best motion player who is always thinking a step ahead in our offense. Levi can hit open shots and play offense at his own pace. We need him to play with extreme confidence on both ends of the court.”
Fielding also expects a host of varsity newcomers to compete for minutes this season, including Kyrese Simpson, Dre Tatum, Bradlee Moore, Gage Sisco, Dominic Downey, Luke Sutherland, Jaydon Carrizales and James Collins.
“Our success this season will all depend on how well we defend and rebound,” Fielding said. “With our starters, returners and newcomers, I really like our team. I think that offensively we will be tough to guard, but that doesn’t matter if we can’t stop the other team from scoring. For us, it’s all about playing with urgency and each player doing their job every game and practice.”
Fielding believes Hillcrest’s strength this season lies within its offense.
“Our biggest strength this season will be our play on the offensive end of the floor,” Fielding said. “I really feel like we will have five guys on the floor at all times who can score. For us, it will be about sharing the ball with each other and not caring who scores. If we can buy in to a team mindset and share the rock we will be competitive in every game we play.”
Following a Nov. 14 jamboree at Ozark, Hillcrest tips off its season Nov. 30 in the Republic Tournament.
