After a breakout 2019-20 season, senior guard Landon Austin will lead the way for the Neosho High School boys basketball team this winter.
The 6-foot Austin earned second-team all-Central Ozark Conference recognition at the conclusion of his junior season after averaging 17 points, six rebounds and four assists per game.
“Landon will lead us offensively for sure,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “He’s on a different level. He knows what he’s doing and he’s fun to watch. I think he’s going to be hard to handle.”
Seniors Chase Flynn (6-2) and Dalton Brodie (6-0) are also expected to play key roles for the Wildcats this season after gaining plenty of varsity experience last year. Flynn averaged nine points and five rebounds a game last season, while Brodie contributed six points and three boards.
Austin, Flynn and Brodie are the only seniors on the roster.
Juniors on the roster are Landon Werneke, Ryno Lee and Marcus Duncan. Sophomores Brock Franklin, River Brill, Jared Siler, Isaiah Green and Carter Fenske round out the roster.
Franklin and Fenske both showed the ability to knock down 3-pointers during Thursday’s jamboree at Joplin High School.
Culp, who is assisted by Jacob Srigley and Tee Helsel, said a probable starting lineup for the Wildcats’ season-opener against Aurora on Dec. 3 would be Austin, Flynn, Brodie, Green and Franklin, with Werneke, Fenske and Brill still in the mix for the fifth spot.
“I like this group’s tenacity,” Culp said. “We fouled a lot tonight, but that was just being aggressive. They’re bought in defensively. I feel like we did a good job tonight. We had a couple of quarters where we gave up one field goal or no field goals.”
HOLIDAY CLASSIC UPDATE
The Neosho Holiday Classic will look much different this season. The event will feature only local squads due to the pandemic.
“It’s just six teams,” Culp said. “No out of state teams can come. It will be a six-team round-robin.”
