NEOSHO, Mo. — Despite being down two starters from graduation and a third because of an injury, the Wildcats are looking to use the experience they do have returning to build off of last season under then first-year head coach Ryan Madison.
Neosho is without leading scorer Olivia Hixon and Michelle Lindsay, who both graduated, and will also be without junior Baylie Bowers, who is out for the year after suffering an injury in the fall during softball.
Fortunately for Neosho, the returning players with varsity experience are all juniors, which means this group has a minimum of two years together to build something similar to what the Wildcats’ 9-4 start from last season.
Leading the list of returners with starting experience is junior 6-foot-1 forward Reagan McInturff, who averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds a game last season. Joining McInturff is 5-7 junior G Raine Harris, who averaged 4.6 points and 3.6 rebounds, and 5-7 junior G/F Maelynn Garrett, who averaged 1.4 points and 1.9 rebounds last season.
“We are hoping to improve on last year’s record and be much more competitive in the COC,” Madison said to SoMo Sports. “We have good size, and I think we should have a little more buy in.”
Adding to the there with starting experience, the Wildcats also welcome back 6-1 junior F Karlee Ellick (who averaged 5.8 points and 4.1 rebounds), 5-10 junior F Meredith Baldwin and 5-5 junior G Jayden Adams.
Seniors Taigen Mitchell (5-4 guard) and Emily Phillips (5-6 guard) are also expected to contribute at the varsity level, and they will be joined by varsity newcomers Beclynn Garrett, a 5-9 freshman guard, and sophomore G Courtney Thomason.
“(We have a) huge junior class with players who have played a lot of varsity basketball,” Madison said. “We have two seniors who would like to end their careers on a high note and a very talented freshman class as well.”
Neosho opens the season with a home matchup against Lamar on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
