With a balanced mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen, Daviess County will look to some returning players to take on bigger roles in order to grab wins in the 2022-23 season.
The Panthers finished last season with an overall record of 11-17, battling adversity throughout the year—including a season-ending injury that leading scorer Cole Burch suffered halfway through the season. After reinjuring himself during the football season Burch is expected to miss some time to start the year, but is hoping to find his way back to the floor as soon as possible.
His production can prove crucial to the Panthers this season when healthy, as he is the returning lead rebounder and it will be much needed with the graduation of Devonte McCampbell (10.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg). Burch will be joined by several upperclassmen that are expected to contribute, including seniors Jack Payne and JR McCain, as well as juniors Gage Phelps and Houston Oberst.
Phelps started playing off the bench last season, before quickly working his way into the starting lineup and eventually averaging 9.5 points per game. The junior guard seems to have taken another leap in his game during the offseason, as he put up 26 points and eight rebounds and 25 points and six rebounds in Daviess County’s preseason scrimmages against Greenwood and Franklin-Simpson respectively.
Head Coach Neil Hayden said that the Panthers had a very good offseason and hopes that with more varsity experience they can carry that success over into the regular season.
“The team had a good summer and looks to build on that success,” Hayden said. “We return several players with varsity experience and that has helped with the flow of practices this fall.”
Daviess County will also have a number of newcomers that Hayden thinks can make an impact, including sophomore guards Jaxon Brown and Aydan Ayer, as well as seniors Evan Hillard and former Trinity (Whitesville) guard Denver Dickens.
Dickens averaged multiple seasons of double figures as a starter for the Raiders, while Hayden said that Hillard is a versatile player that can play inside and out. Pairing that with the athletic ability of Brown and ball handling skills from Ayer and the Panthers feel as though they have a good balance of talent.
That balance will be key, as Hayden said that Daviess County must have an all hands on deck approach offensively while doing the little things on that end in the mean time.
“We must be a balanced attack with multiple players in double figure scoring,” Hayden said. “Limiting our turnovers and improving our offensive rebounding [will be key].”
Hayden said that he’s thoroughly excited for this group, noting the mix of experience as well as a more athletic group will allow the Panthers to change their play style from what they have done in recent years.
“This team has a blend of young talent and some experience,” Hayden said. “The hope is that they will blend together by the end of the season to make a team that will make a push in the district and regional tournament.”
