So, who’s the top post player in the Jefferson County Activities Association large-schools division?
To find the answer over the last five years, you only had to look to Hillsboro. But Gaven Pinkley graduated in 2018 and is playing for the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and Michael Brewer grabbed his diploma this spring and was drafted by the Texas Rangers.
A few miles down Hwy. 21 from the Hawks’ gym, junior Jordan Mertens practiced with his De Soto teammates two days before Thanksgiving. Even among other basketball players, it’s easy to spot Mertens. A skinny sophomore at 160 pounds last season, Mertens hit the weight room like a football player and added 50 pounds to his 6-7 frame.
“We need to keep up our high-intensity practices because that carries into games,” he said.
The Dragons were the first team in the JCAA to play a game this year and Mertens carried them to a 66-40 win against Northwest on Nov. 22. He posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds (10 defensive), and he was aggressive without the ball with two steals and a pair of blocks.
De Soto lost to the St. Louis Patriots 46-43 on Nov. 25, but Mertens registered his second double-double with 10 points and a dozen rebounds.
“He has that capability as long as he stays out of foul trouble,” De Soto head coach Zeb Hammond said of Mertens’ early season play. “Hillsboro has a dominant post (Evan Worley). I hope Jordan can be a top player in the post. He’s put in the work and it shows.”
Mertens said in the win over the Lions, De Soto’s defense gave it offensive momentum.
“We got a lot of stops and transition buckets,” he said. “The boys got me the ball and when I got doubled down on, I passed it out to them.”
As much as the points he scores, Mertens grabbing defensive rebounds could by key to De Soto’s season.
“When I see the shot go up, I find my man and box him out,” he said. “It’s my ball when it’s up there.”
Hammond said one of Mertens’ top skills is his ability as a passer.
“Against (the Patriots) he was getting triple-teamed and he was able to pass out of it a lot,” said Hammond, who enters his sixth year. “With his length and size, he’ll get offensive rebounds too.”
Against Northwest, the Dragons did an excellent job of pushing and sharing the ball, their coach said.
“What I liked was our assists compared to turnovers,” Hammond said. “By halftime, we had 11 assists. Everyone was making the extra pass and that’s what we’re going to have to do to be successful this year. (Against the Patriots) we did the complete opposite and lost. We had one assist at halftime.”
De Soto finished last season 12-16. After beating Ste. Genevieve in overtime in the first round of the Class 4 District 2 tournament, the Dragons were routed by 44 points by eventual district champion Farmington.
Mertens, who was tabbed for second team JCAA large-schools honors last year, is one of four juniors on De Soto’s starting unit, which includes Aidan Blair, Nic Krodinger and Levi Fischer. Starting guard-post Corey Gibbs is the only senior on the team. Gibbs is one of the Dragons’ top offensive rebounders.
The graduation of Clayton Snudden erases 15 points per game from the Dragons. Mertens and Krodinger both averaged 9.5 points. Hammond said Krodinger’s shot selection and ball handling have improved tremendously.
For now, sophomore Cody Petty is the first player off the bench. Sophomores Drake Turnbo and Jack Hooper and junior Adam Copeland round out the varsity.
“We will be a team that pushes it when we need to or slow it down and run sets,” Hammond said. “Defensively, we offer a lot of pressure with the help side.”
Hawks still team to beat among JCAA large schools
Hillsboro has had the top post player in its half of the conference for five straight years.
Winning district and conference championships has become an annual ritual at Hillsboro.
The Hawks have won the last four Jefferson County Activities Association large-schools titles and 16 straight conference games. They’ve captured three consecutive Class 4 district crowns, although three straight sectional losses slammed the brakes on extended playoff runs.
“I think we’ve got some good teams in the conference and some good coaches,” Hillsboro head coach Dan Johnson said. “I like our team. I think we stack up well against everybody. With Gaven and Michael on the same team, it might have seemed unfair. Other teams are happy to play Hillsboro without those two.”
In sectionals, Hillsboro couldn’t get past Sikeston in 2017 and 2018 and was blown out by St. Mary’s in 2019. Both teams boasted Division I college talent.
Pinkley and Brewer were great players and the two years they started together, there wasn’t a more exciting team in Jefferson County to watch. Johnson enters his 10th season as head coach and has led Hillsboro to a record of 93-21 (82 percent) the last four years.
Even without Brewer and Pinkley, Hillsboro has plenty of players with lots of varsity experience returning this season. Depending on matchups, Johnson has four seniors and six juniors he can rotate in and out of the starting lineup. Seniors Mark Moore, Ethan Worley, Garrett Pinkley and Evan Worley were all starters last season. The Worley twins transferred from Windsor in December and played in 13 games apiece for the Hawks.
Moore, the most valuable player in the JCAA during soccer season this fall, made almost 90 percent of his free throws and 47 3-point baskets on the hardwood last season.
“He passes so well and we have a lot of other guys who can score,” Johnson said. “He might score 30 one night and get nine points the next with 12 assists. He might make five 3s in a game or teams might game plan to take him away. I imagine he’ll lead us in assists.”
Garrett is Gaven’s younger brother. Johnson said Garrett has added a lot of muscle in the offseason.
“He’s gotten better with his knowledge on the floor,” Johnson said. “We do things that are hard to remember or execute and he’s a calming voice for us. He’s our back-line point guard and not a lot of teams have that.”
Evan Worley, a 6-8 post player, averaged 10.7 points and 7 rebounds in his time with Hillsboro. High-level AAU play over the summer has boosted his game. Ethan plays guard and, along with Moore, could lead the team in assists.
Juniors Eric Schneider, Logan Smith, Zach Whaley, Ryan Cox, Werner Finder and Kyle Besand all could find themselves in the starting lineup.
The Hawks scored 100 points in a game for the first time under Johnson last season.
“We like to play fast, but we understand that most games at the end of the season are won in the half court,” Johnson said.
Owls have new head coach
With Ethan and Evan Worley in the lineup until late December, Windsor posted a winning record.
When their two best players transferred to Hillsboro, however, the Owls limped to the end of the season, losing 10 of their last 12 games and finished 10-16. Their season came to an end against Festus in the first round of the District 3 tournament.
But that’s all in the past. New head coach Jason Gillman was on Dan Johnson’s staff at Hillsboro for a decade and he’s seen what it takes to form a winning basketball team. And there’s plenty of talent returning for Gillman to shape into what he hopes will be a conference and district contender.
“Our goals this season are to play hard every night and do our best to control the things we can control,” Gillman said.
Windsor boasts four senior starters in guards Grant Siegel, Pierce Hartmann, Norman Alford and forward Matt Martin.
Junior Sonny Amabile runs the point and averaged almost five assists per game last year.
“He can do everything from that position,” Gillman said.
Siegel led the Owls with 37 3-point baskets a year ago.
“He’s a very smart, cerebral player,” Gillman said. “He’s like having another coach on the floor.”
Martin is a 6-5 post player, but he hasn’t played for two years.
Hartmann sank 34 treys and averaged 7.8 points per game.
Windsor doesn’t have a true sixth man, but senior Jared Tanner (6-7) will be the first forward off the bench. Junior guards Gavin Kinworthy, Derek Williams and Hunter Metteer provide depth in the backcourt. Williams was on his way to an MVP season at quarterback until breaking his leg. Kinworthy also is injured, but Gillman said the two players should start practicing by mid-December.
Gillman wants the Owls to adapt offensively in each game.
“We would like to play fast on offense and then be patient to get a great shot every time,” he said.
He said he wants to make opposing offenses work hard to get an open look.
Defense key to Festus success
Last season, the Tigers allowed the fewest points per game (52.04) of any team in the large-schools division.
Head coach Jason Therrell said defense will again be the primary factor in Festus winning games.
“Our team will start with defense,” said Therrell, who enters his fourth season at the helm and 19th overall in the program. “We will try to play with effort on that end of the floor every night, and hopefully that helps our offense as well. Our identity is we will try to establish a tough defensive-minded team that also likes to get up and down the floor and share the ball on offense.”
Offensively, the Tigers have to find a way to replace the 24 points per game Kobe Branscomb and Savez Thomas produced last season. Both players were seniors and Branscomb was the only Festus player on the JCAA first team.
Junior guard Collin Reando was on the second team last season after averaging 7.9 points and leading the Tigers with almost four assists per contest. Along with Reando, sophomore guard Cole Rickermann also was a starter last year and he led Festus with 44 3-pointers.
Sophomore Damarion Anderson (forward) and juniors Daibrion Barker (forward) and Cayse Martin (guard) are the Tigers’ other three starting players. Senior Austin Coale (forward) and sophomore guards Collin Weinhaus and Isaac Stucke will be the first players to come off the bench. Senior Jacob Raye (forward) and juniors A.J. Forrester (guard) and Laine Axtetter (forward) provide varsity depth, although Axtetter is injured and could rejoin the team in January.
“Our goals for this season are to play hard every single day and get better,” Therrell said. “We want to be great teammates and have great team chemistry that keeps developing as the season progresses.”
Festus finished 17-10 last season and was beaten by Hillsboro in the semifinals of the Class 4 District 3 tournament. The Tigers were 0-3 against the Hawks last year.
“We consider our biggest rival whoever we are playing in our next game,” Therrell said. “Our first game is against Pacific, so right now they are our biggest rival.”