By Chad Hayworth (for Ozarkssportszone.com)
Eighteen wins and run to the district championship game last season could be the catalyst for another step forward for the Diamond Wildcats.
Last year’s late-season success has been a boost for the team on a couple of fronts, said Coach Lance Robbins, who is in his second year leading the Wildcat program. Diamond beat Southwest and Miller before falling to New Heights Christian Academy in the Class 3, District 12 tournament.
“Losing in the district championship has made our guys hungry to get better,” he said. “And we’ve seen some guys come back that didn’t play last season, for whatever reason, which has helped our depth.”
The Wildcats return three starters from their 18-11 team that also finished 4-4 in conference play.
Seniors Adam Brown, Wyatt Housh and Wyatt Smith make up the core of returners, along with
Junior Giancarlo Martinez, the Wildcats’ designated defensive stopper last year.
Brown (6-foot-2) was the Wildcats’ second leading scorer a year ago, averaging 13 points, seven rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He was named all-conference and all-area.
“He is a match-up problem at both ends of the floor,” Robbins said. “He can score and defend all five spots. He’ll take on more of a scoring role this year.”
Housh, a 5-foot-7 point guard who has seen varsity minutes since he was a freshman is also looking to improve his scoring, but his that might not be his biggest contribution to the team.
“He is my coach on the floor,” Robbins said. “He makes us go at both ends.”
Housh averaged five points and two rebounds, assists and steals per game.
Robbins is hoping for more consistency from Smith (6-foot-2), after early season struggles last year.
“He came on strong in the second half to help us with scoring and rebounding,” Robbins said. “He can play inside or outside on the offensive end.”
Martinez was the Wildcats’ best defender by far last season, Robbins said.
Joining them will the the tallest Wildcat, 6-foot-4 Grady Bentley, who sat out last season.
“He will fill a huge role for us inside,” Robbins said. “His size and athleticism will create problems for other teams on both ends.”
Maddox Youngblood, a 5-foot-8 junior, also returns, and has the potential to be a difference-maker for the team, Robbins said.
Other players expected to contribute this season are juniors Kale Adams, Ralph Rangel and Aiden Velton, along with sophomores Caiden Meza and Kale Payton.
With as fast as Robbins and the Wildcats want to play, there will be plenty of opportunities for players coming off the bench.
“We want to create chaos on the defensive end and make the other team uncomfortable,” he said. “We want to make teams play faster than they might like, push the ball up the floor in transition and take good shots.”
Robbins said the playing style – a hallmark of the best Diamond teams in recent memory – is popular with both fans and players.
“We play with some freedom,” he said. “And if a kid makes a mistake on the offensive end, he knows he can make up for it by playing hard on defense. We are at our best when we are flying around.”
Diamond opens the season against cross-county rival East Newton on November 25, before hosting the Gem City Classic starting December 1. The Wildcats will open conference play against Ash Grove on January 13.
