Half of last year’s team is gone, so the Owensboro boys’ basketball team is nearly starting with a clean slate this time around.
Senior Darrion Wimsatt will be the most experienced player for the Red Devils, as he’s the only one who returns with significant minutes under his belt.
Wimsatt is the No. 10 player for Region 3 in the The Cats’ Pause preseason rankings. Last season, he averaged 6.9 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Wimsatt helped Owensboro put together a solid 2017-18 campaign that ended with a 19-8 record that featured a nine-game win streak and an Owensboro Invitational Tournament championship. However, the Red Devils suffered a narrow defeat to Apollo in the first round of the District 9 Tournament.
This year, head coach Rod Drake is hoping to have a chance to make it to state if the team can keep improving.
“I think that we think by season’s end we could contend for the region,” Drake said.
While Wimsatt will be able to provide the most knowledge of real-game experience, Drake has plenty of players he expects to step up and contribute significantly.
Juniors Isaac Humphrey, Jaiden Greathouse and Tucker Hagan, as well as senior Adante Greer, could help carry the team and make a run in the postseason.
Humphrey (2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) and Greathouse (2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg) played in nearly half the games last year with some decent contributions. Greer got into in a handful of games, while Hagan did not play last season.
One of the biggest tests for the team this season will come when they again host the OIT, which features plenty of talented teams. In addition to all teams from District 9, Monroe County, Hopkinsville, Bowling Green and John Hardin will all be participating.
Owensboro will also play in the Bowling Green Meijer Holiday Classic, which Drake expects to be one of the biggest challenges in this year’s schedule. The field includes host Bowling Green, South Warren, Bullitt East, Monroe County, Graves County, Madisonville-North Hopkins and Murray.
Though the Red Devils don’t have much returning experience, Drake is confident they’ll have plenty of talent.
“Teams will try to seek our weaknesses,” he said. “But I like our speed and quickness.”
