Pierce City finished last season with a 14-13 record and a district semifinal loss to Purdy.
Gone from that team are Ian and Evan Burt, who were the lone First Team All-SRVC selections for the Eagles last season.
“Ian and Evan were a big part of our program last season. They were our two leading scorers, averaging over 20 points per game combined,” Pierce City Head Coach Matt Street said. “They played key roles in the success that we have had over the past few seasons. Their leadership and will be missed this season.”
Ian Burt averaged 12.1 points per game, while Evan poured in 9.9 per game.
Mason Moreland will look to fill that leadership role after garnering a second team nod on the all-conference team last season.
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“Mason brings experience and versatility to the court each night. He has played many different roles for our team over the past three seasons,” Street said. “We will be moving him back into a more natural position and we will need him to pick up where he left off last season. We will ask him to be a leader and help our program take the next step.”
Moreland scored 6.3 points per game to go with 3.6 assists and 3 rebounds per game.
Seniors Devin Cox and Jordan Cruz will also be looked upon to lead the Eagles this season.
Cox, who stands at 6’5, averaged 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a junior. Cruz, a 6’4 center, chipped in 4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Juniors Hunter Hatfield, Hunter Tindell, Kevin Abromovitz, Donell Kleiboeker and Kaleb Meyer will all return to the court as well.
Tindell, a 6’5 center, was the most accomplished of the group last year with 4.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
New faces to the varsity line up include juniors Dalla Kleiboeker and Gage Brown along with a quartet of freshmen in Aaron Garner, Trey Sagehorn, Colten O’Hara and Trenton Kluck.
Pierce City will look to make it back to the district title game after winning it two seasons ago. To make it, the young Pierce City players will have to learn the varsity game.
“We will be a young team that should get better as the year goes on,” Street said. “We will have a deep bench and should be able to play a different style of basketball than we have in the past.”
Pierce City opens the season on Nov. 22 at home against Stockton.
