‘Sudden Saturday’ ends season for most area teams
Due to last Friday’s snowstorm, the semifinals and finals for the high school boys basketball sectionals were condensed to a one-day, three-game event like regionals used to be way back in 2022. The other by-product of the jam-packed day was having six Pilot News area teams end their season in one fell swoop.
The only local team still standing is Glenn. Look for a preview later this week of the Falcons’ upcoming regional game. The end for the rest of the area teams came so sudden Saturday. Despite the abrupt ending, there were plenty of highlights to go around locally. Here is a quick look back at the 2022-23 season and a way-too-early glimpse ahead to next year.
PLYMOUTH improved by four wins for the second straight season, thanks largely to the contributions of seniors Easton Strain, Davis Wray, Michael Sheely and Trey Hall. The Pilgrims played their best basketball over the final month of the season which is what ever team aspires to do. There will be plenty of open positions moving forward to next season. Who will emerge?
LAVILLE fell short of a sectional championship game appearance, but the Lancers still finished the year with an 11-3 mark over their final 14 games, highlighted by a Bi-county Tournament championship. LV will lose five seniors, but its top three leading scorers are all slated to return.
Triton was right around .500 all season, with four two-game winning streaks. The best news for Trojan fans is Evan Briles is the only graduating senior. Don’t be surprised if Triton is one of the most improved teams next season.
ARGOS reached the 15-win mark for the fifth straight season and second under the leadership of Jason Breden, highlighted
by two four-game winning streaks. The Dragons will need to find a way to replace four graduating seniors, including three starters. JJ Morris will be sorely missed. The senior standout finished as the second-leading scorer in the area at nearly 20 ppg and also contributed five rebounds and four assists per contest.
CULVER’S highlights included an early season four-game winning streak and taking No. 10 Marquette Catholic down to the wire in the sectional championship game. The Cavaliers will lose their entire starting lineup due to graduation so there will be plenty of opportunities for new faces to step up.
CULVER academy
reached double-digit victories for the 10th time in 12 years under head coach Mark Galloway (not counting the covid shortened ‘20-’21 season). Season highlights included winning the CMA Winter Classic and a four-game winning streak over a 2 1/2 week period at the beginning of February. Cooper Farrall was the area’s leading scorer and will take his game (24 ppg) to Bentley University next year. The Eagles will have a new look next season since they will need to replace eight graduating seniors.
BREMEN had its fewest wins since the 2006-07 season, but the upside for the Lions is that a large number of underclassmen gained valuable varsity experience that will translate to better things next year.
OREGON-DAVIS had its fewest wins since 2019, but has a large number of promising underclassmen that saw significant min
utes. Six-foot-six sophomore Carson Matthew is one such player to watch over the next two years.