By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Webb City isn’t quite a basketball school yet, but Jason Horn has gotten the Cardinals really close.
In eight seasons he’s never been below.500 and has claimed three district championships while making Webb City a consistent winner in the COC with a pair of COC Players of the Year since 2020.
This winter should be more of the same with Horn returning one of the most experienced backcourts in the COC, seniors Holton Keith and Eli Pace.
Both were All-COC selections last year with Keith averaging 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 steals. Pace added 11.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 steals.
Keith and Pace each have multiple college offers and could be the best backcourt in the league.
“They are both dynamic players and play so well off of each other,” said Horn. “Eli plays the game with great pace and has a very high basketball IQ. Holton has elite quickness and he’s a relentless on-ball defender. Offensively, they both do a great job of playing off of two feet and finishing in traffic. They both possess a mental toughness that separates them from a lot of players with the same skill set.
“Holton and Eli are two of the best guards in Southwest Missouri. They are both three-year starters and they have both played a pivotal role in the success we have had the past two seasons.”
They are the only two returning starters, but they will have plenty of talent around them with senior Joseph Degraffenreid, as well as juniors Trae Turner and Slade Hurd both seeing significant time last year.
All three are big, athletic guards that are capable of making perimeter jumpers.
Turner – the younger brother of former All-COC selection KT Turner – has the potential to be a breakout player in the Ozarks.
“Joseph and Slade gained valuable experience last season in key moments during big games down the stretch,” said Horn. “They’re all very athletic kids who can guard multiple positions.
“Trae is a great athlete. He has a quick first and plays above the rim. He has tremendous footwork around the basket while being able to step out and shoot the ball from the perimeter.”
Several underclassmen are competing for minutes in what will be a crowded competition for roles.
Junior Gabe Johnson – who emerged as one of the top defenders and best athletes in the league both on the hardwood and gridiron – is expected to miss the majority of the season after tearing his ACL in last year’s district playoffs.
Webb City enters the 2024-25 season with a revamped COC that will see Kickapoo, Glendale, Parkview and others join the league.
As the Cardinals look to end their four-year district championship drought, doing so could become a little easier as they’ll be even more battle-tested come March.
“There is always some nervousness that comes with something new and unknown but our kids are excited to see new opponents and play different environments,” said Horn. “I think the league will be extremely difficult from top to bottom. You’re adding some historic programs to one of the toughest leagues in the state of Missouri. I think the big takeaway from this league is that you’re going to be challenged every night and records can be deceiving when you put this many good programs together.
“Our kids understand the success and tradition we have had in basketball at Webb City. The unfortunate thing is that injuries have played a huge role for our program the last two seasons. That is the tough part for our kids knowing we have had the talent to compete with anyone on our schedule and in our classification only to see key guys go down and not be able to finish the way we would’ve liked. Our seniors feel like they have unfinished business, and they understand a big part of their legacy is making a postseason run.”
Webb City will jamboree at Neosho on Nov. 21 before opening the 2024-25 regular season on Dec. 12 at the Carthage Invitational.
