By Chris Parker
Ash Grove boys basketball enters the second year of the Grant Williamson era ready to take a big leap forward after a young team gained valuable experience last year.
“Our guys were really thrown into the fire last season against some good competition last season,” Williamson said. “17 of our 23 opponents last year finished above .500. That experience is starting to show. Players are maturing in every aspect of their games. The level of competitiveness in practice is palpably higher from last year and we are looking to carry that throughout the season.”
Junior Sammy Moreland and Jake Thompson will be team leaders for the Pirates this year.
Moreland earned honorable mention all-conference honors on the strength of his 13 points per game average.
“Sam will be a big piece for us,” Williamson said. “He averaged 13 ppg last season and proved himself an elite shooter. Sam had a breakout season on the football field this fall and I’m certain that physical maturity and confidence will transfer to the court and allow him to become a big time player for us.”
Thompson is a three-year letterman.
“Jake Thompson is a three-year letterman that brings toughness and stability to our team. He isn’t the most vocal leader, but he leads by example. His toughness on defense and in the rebounding game will be vital to our team’s success this year,” Williamson said.
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Williamson pointed to sophomore Brock Mooneyham as a player that has shown marked improvement in the off-season.
“Brock Mooneyham really showed great strides this off-season,” Williamson said. “Brock is fearless. He just wants to win and that has driven his progress. He was a starter by the end of his freshman campaign and we expect him to continue to impact the game at both ends of the floor.”
Seniors Tyler Vert and Ethan Gray return for their final seasons.
“Tyler has great athleticism and works on his game about as much as anyone I’ve coached. If he can play within himself he could really flourish for us,” Williamson said. “Ethan is our biggest player, and we expect him to be an enforcer around the basket. He offensive rebounds well and can finish in traffic.”
Junior Zane Delk and sophomore Nate Trammell round out the returning players.
“Zane is long and sneaky athletic. He missed most of last season with a broken finger, but he has been great to have back this season. He is a versatile player who can play both on the perimeter and inside as well as guard all five positions. I think he has the potential to push for significant varsity minutes,” Williamson said. “Nate has great footwork around the basket and plays much bigger than his size. He continues to develop as a player.”
Tanner Willmon is a newcomer set to play his senior year.
“Tanner joins us as a senior and is a great addition. His strong physical play allows him to play in the post, but he is also one of our better ball handlers. Tanner is one of our vocal leaders and we will count on him to provide some physical play when we go small,” Williamson said.
Tyler Tummons will look to make an impact at point guard in his sophomore season.
“Tummons is tough as nails,” Williamson said. “He’s a true point guard with a high IQ. I expect him to come in and help handle the ball and run the show.”
Freshman Brady Nicholson appears poised to make a varsity impact as a freshman.
“Brady is a talented young player and is one of our best competitors, which you don’t see a lot in younger players,” Williamson said. “The jump from junior high to varsity basketball is a difficult one but he has embraced the challenge well.”
Senior Noah Phipps and sophomore Elijah Morrison will also be in the mix for time on varsity.
“This group is still fairly young and has a lot of new pieces learning how to play with each other,” Williamson said. “It may take us a while to figure out who we are as a team, but we have stressed playing aggressive on both ends of the floor so I anticipate that competitiveness and toughness will be the core of our identity. We plan on playing much faster this season and increasing the tempo of games.”
Ash Grove opens the season on Nov. 24 at Crane.
“These guys have endured a lot, and I expect to see a new level of competitiveness this year,” Williamson said. “We still have much to improve on, but I expect us to be competitive every night and give ourselves the chance to surprise some people with our success.”
