By Chris Parker
Waynesville won six games with a young team in head coach Anthony Caruso’s first season.
“It’s difficult to win young in the COC and at the Class 6 level,” Caruso said. “We relied on several sophomores for meaningful varsity minutes, aiming to put our best athletes on the floor and stay competitive. More nights than not, our youth showed, but we also learned a lot about our players’ resilience and character.”
The returning Tigers dedicated to the weight room in the off-season in hopes of stacking more wins this season.
“Our biggest obstacle was getting consistent participation in the weight room and gym,” Caruso said. “Last summer, there were times when only a handful of players showed up for varsity workouts, and you simply can’t build success that way. This year, we’ve had 20–30 players consistently attending offseason and preseason workouts, and that commitment has generated a lot of excitement within our team and coaching staff.”
Four players who saw action in every game and another who played in 24 of 25 return this season.
“We return 75% of our varsity roster and 90% of our varsity minutes from last year, including three full-time starters and three players who started at various points during the season,” Caruso said. “I believe that gives us a strong core of experience. The biggest difference is that these guys are a year older, more mature, and have spent a lot of time putting in work in the gym.”
Brandon Jackson is a 6-foot-1 senior guard/forward who averaged 8.1 points per game with 110 total rebounds, 42 deflections and 25 steals.
“Brandon is a skilled forward that’s capable of finishing at all three levels,” Caruso said. “He had a great summer for us and played basketball at a high level this summer with Missouri Flight.”
Codye Black is a 5-foot-11 senior guard who led the team in scoring with 11.3 points per game. He knocked down a team-high 61 3-pointers on 36.5% shooting.
“Codye is a rare four-year starter in the COC and was the primary focus of opposing defenses,” Caruso said. “While that role brought some frustration, it also built resilience and pushed him to improve weaknesses in his game. This offseason he added muscle to his frame and worked on his overall strength, which should complement his skill set.”
Jerome Shelton played in all but one varsity contest last season contributing 2.4 points per game. He is a 6-foot-3 junior point guard/forward.
“Jerome has worked tirelessly to improve his game, beginning the day after our season ended,” Caruso said. “He’s made tremendous progress with his shot and has grown to 6-foot-3. He’s also added stronger ball-handling skills, which will put him in better position to showcase his natural passing instincts. His biggest challenge will be resisting the urge to settle around the perimeter and instead attacking the rim, once he gets downhill, he’s a real threat. As a staff, we’d also love to see him use his frame to become a strong, versatile defender and rebounder.”
Omar Gonzales, a 5-foot-7 junior guard, scored 4.6 points per game with a team-high 75 assists.
“Omar has been playing meaningful minutes since his freshman year,” Caruso said. “Ideally, you wouldn’t ask a 9th or 10th grader to carry the load as the primary ballhandler in the COC, but those experiences have really helped him grow. He plays with a good IQ, can create for his teammates, and has been shooting the ball well this offseason. As a staff, we’re excited to see his growth take a step forward.”
Jaiden Reynolds is a 6-foot-3 junior guard/forward who scored 10.5 points per game with a team-high 111 rebounds last season.
“Jaiden has the opportunity to capitalize on a strong sophomore season,” Caruso said. “He has great range and can finish through contact at the rim. His best quality is his knack for making things happen on both ends of the floor; he makes the team go and brings energy with his play. At any moment he can turn it on, and if he can find consistency it could be a big junior season for him.”
Kirkon Welsh (senior forward), Arik Killea (junior guard), MJ Greene (junior point guard) and Owen Schick are newcomers to watch.
Caruso on Welsh: “Kirk is rehabbing his way back from a knee injury right now. We are hopeful that he will suit up for us this season. He is an interesting athlete in the fact that he brings size and athleticism, and can play inside out, but his game is still very raw. He did make a spot start for us last year, and we are hoping he can make an impact his senior year.”
Caruso on Killea: “Arik is a young man that we would like to see make a jump this year. He is explosively fast and has the ability to finish at the rim and beyond the arc. The key for him will be finding consistency in his game, not riding “highs” to high and “lows” to low.”
Caruso on Greene: “MJ will be vying for meaningful minutes. He brings football toughness to the program, and he is a kid that is willing to lay it on the line for his teammates. His ballhandling ability sets him apart and we are looking at him as being someone who can control the tempo of a game and bring tough defense.”
Caruso on Schick: “Owen tore his ACL playing football his junior season and we are really excited to have this young man back. He’s a natural leader and brings the physicality and communication we have been missing. He’s just recently been cleared for activity, so his first half of the season may look a bit rusty, but we are really excited to see him change the dynamic of our team.”
Caruso is looking for his roster to embrace a true team mentality.
“I believe our biggest challenge will be playing selflessly,” Caruso said. “We have a lot of guys who can score and want to be the guy, but there are only so many minutes opportunities to go around. If this group can truly embrace team basketball and celebrate each other’s success, we have the potential to be a tough out.”
Overall, Caruso is excited for the program to continue to grow in his second season.
“The continuity we have in our program right now is what excites me most,” Caruso said. “We haven’t lost any players to transfer or military PCS, which is rare in a community like ours. The depth of basketball talent is growing at every level, and it’s exciting to see that the cupboard won’t be bare anytime soon at Waynesville.”
Waynesville opens the regular season on Dec. 2 at home against Neosho.
“What I value most is seeing our student athletes grow as people,” Caruso said. “In the Air Force, we say the military base is the power projection platform, and I want our coaches and staff to view the basketball court the same way. This game gives us a platform to change lives, build character, teach accountability, and help young people realize their potential selves, both on and off the court.”
