By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Sparta basketball enjoyed another successful campaign last year.
The 22-6 Trojans posted a second-straight 20-win season, falling to Greenwood in the district semifinal round.
“23-24 was another great year to be Sparta Trojan,” head coach Deric Link said. “We did not accomplish all of the goals we had for the year, but it was filled with a lot of memories our athletes and community will remember.”
All-state graduate Jacob Lafferty played a significant role in many of those memories and will have to be replaced heading into the new season.
“The challenge for this group is going to be interior scoring, rebounding and connection,” Link said. “This group has to connect. We have been fortunate the last three years to have a group that grew together and went through a lot of challenges together and never wavered. This group is going to have to get through challenges together and keep growing together.”
Leading the charge will be a quartet of returnees in Lee Mayes, Trenton Ingle, Braylen Luttrull and Otis Gilliam.
Mayes, a 6-foot senior, finished the season averaging 6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1 assist.
“Lee does so many things for us that go unnoticed,” Link said. “His ability to space the floor from beyond the arc and ability to make winning plays is a huge reason why he had a tremendous junior year. I am looking forward to seeing how his leadership grows and his consistency improves.”
Ingle, a 6-foot-4 junior, recorded 6 points, and 3.3 rebounds per contest last season.
“Trenton has the ability to score at the rim and from beyond the 3-point line, while leading us in rebounding,” Link said. “He is going to be a huge part of who we are this year. I am looking forward to seeing the sophomore to junior jump for him. I don’t think he understands how good he can be.”
Luttrull, a 6-foot-3 senior, averaged 6.7 points, and 1.6 rebounds as a junior.
“Braylen had a big second half of the year and provided a great spark for us,” Link said. “We are going to ask a lot from him when he gets on the floor. He has the ability to be a three-level scorer and a high-level rebounder. We are going to need to see growth in his leadership ability and when we do he can have a great senior year.”
Gilliam, a 5-foot-8 senior, averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in an injury-shortened season.
“Otis had a knee injury versus Spokane at the beginning of the year,” Link said. “I think if he does not have that injury he could have been an all-conference player for us with his ability to make plays for himself and for others. I am looking forward to, hopefully, getting to see a full varsity season for him.”
Link also expects a host of varsity newcomers to step in and compete for playing time, including sophomore Ben Miller, senior Mason Roller, sophomore Solomon Shisko, senior Levi Dorman and freshman Abel Hume.
“I think this can be another fun year of Sparta Trojan basketball,” Link said. “The faces may change but the expectations for our program really do not. We want to be a group that plays harder than our opponent, we play together, and battle. We are going to need to shoot the ball well, be tough defensively, and find ways to win the rebounding battle.”
Following a Nov. 21 home jamboree with Nixa and Bolivar, Sparta will open its season Dec. 2 in the Strafford Invitational Tournament.
