The Carl Junction girls basketball team has the expectations set extremely high this winter.
It’s not hard to see why.
Carl Junction returns virtually its entire lineup from last year’s team that surpassed 20 wins, captured a seventh straight district championship and concluded the season in the Class 5 state quarterfinals against eventual state champion West Plains.
“We’re excited to see what we can do now with another year under our belts,” Bulldogs coach Brad Shorter told SoMo Sports. “Our kids are starting to understand the game more and know what it takes to be successful. I’m positive our kids will compete and play extremely hard. Last season proved to be a quality year for our program. We lost an all-conference player before the season started. While the experience was full of adversity, it gave multiple kids the opportunity for quality court time and experience. Like every year, our goal will be to progress every day in practice and games.”
The Bulldogs will feature a solid core of varsity veterans, led by senior guards Destiny Buerge, Hali Shorter and Klohe Burk and junior forward Kylie Scott.
“They have great attitudes, they’re working hard together and they’re playing as a unit,” Coach Shorter said of his returning players. “They’re a fun group to coach.”
A 5-foot-8 do-it-all guard, Buerge averaged 23 points, six rebounds, four steals and just under three assists per game during the 2021-22 season.
A first team all-conference pick who has signed with Pittsburg State, Buerge scored a school record 684 points as a junior. She surpassed 1,700 career points last winter and was named all-state for the second straight season. Buerge earned a number of accolades last year, including 4-States Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year, Class 5 District 6 Player of the Year and SoMo Sports Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
The 6-1 Scott averaged 13 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and three assists per game as a sophomore, earning all-COC honors. She has an offer from the University of Hawaii.
Hali Shorter averaged six points, four assists, four rebounds and nearly two steals per game last winter. She hit 35 3-pointers. Burk contributed seven points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game.
The Bulldogs should once again excel at shooting the 3-pointer. Buerge hit 73 treys last season, while Hali Shorter and Burk knocked down 36 3-pointers apiece a season ago.
Also back with prior varsity experience are junior forward Anna Burch and sophomore forward Dezi Williams. Williams averaged five points and four rebounds per game as a freshman, while Burch chipped in two points and 3.5 rebounds per game last year.
Senior guard Allie Wrestler, sophomore guard DeShaye Buerge and freshman forward Jadyn Howard are also expected to contribute nicely.
All but one player who saw varsity action last year returns for Carl Junction, as Ellie Lawson was the lone senior who suited up last winter. With that, there’s a lot to like about the Bulldogs. They feature experience, depth, they play tough defense and have several players who can put the ball in the hoop.
Coach Shorter noted there’s still room for improvement.
“Our goals include trying to be more precise with a number of things,” Shorter said. “You can’t get to perfection, but we want to get better at every aspect of the game. We’ll see where that takes us. If we can improve on a few things that we’ve been working on in practice we’ll have a shot at being successful this year.”
Coach Shorter added areas the team needs to improve upon are defense, rebounding and free throws.
The Bulldogs will look to improve upon last year’s 6-3 showing in the Central Ozark Conference and claim an eighth straight district crown.
“As always, the COC will be extremely tough,” Shorter said. “Our conference in girls basketball is the toughest in the state. Our schedule this year is very tough but hopefully we learn, grow, and give ourselves a chance to be successful in the conference and districts. We feel we must bring our ‘A’ game every night for our schedule and conference. A key for us this year will be ball movement and efficiency. We’ll put a focus on eliminating some of our turnovers and increasing our shooting percentage clip. We’ll strive to progress every day and give ourselves a chance to be successful towards the end of the year.”
The Bulldogs will host the annual CJ Classic beginning on Nov. 28.
Coach Shorter noted the team is more than ready to get the season underway.
“We’ve had some really good practices lately,” Shorter said. “The kids are working really hard and giving great effort. There are a number of things we can still improve on and our kids know that. But we’re just excited to start the season.”
