Wildcats play for each other during 12-10 season

White it’s always sad when it’s over, Wallace Head Basketball Coach Eric Miller said it’s fun to look back on the year, and prepare for the following season.
Miller said the Wildcats’ seniors have been great for many years now and the team will miss them.
A four-year starter, Kolton Hager finished the season as Wallace’s leading scorer and rebounder with 13.5 points per game and 128 rebounds.
“Kolton always drew the attention of the other team’s defensive game plan,” Miller said, crediting Hager for being a very good passer besides his scoring and rebounding.
Hager finished his career with 1,265 points and signed his letter of intent to play for McCook Community College.
“Kolton loves the game of basketball and shared that with others,” Miller said.
Camden McConnell was right on Hager’s heels with an average of 12.3 points per game.  
“Camden was always a great shooter for us, but he really developed his game and became a more all around basketball player over the years,” Miller said, adding that McConnell finished his career with 185-made three pointers. 
“He is a positive person who was always helping out the other players, specifically the young ones,” Miller said.
Alec Messersmith did a little bit of everything for Wallace, according to Miller.
“He played good defense and rebounded well. He transformed into more of an inside threat as he got older,” Miller said.
Messersmith scored an average of nine points per game and pulled down 112 free throws.
Messersmith was always willing to do the dirty work such as get on the floor for a loose ball, or hustle to save one from going out of bounds, Miller added.
Jesson McClintock missed most of the season with an injury suffered in football.
“Despite that, he stuck with the team, showed up for practice every day, and became a good leader for our team,” Miller said.
“The seniors will be deeply missed and we wish them the best going forward,” Miller added.
Juniors Trey Robertson and Kyler Flaming and sophomore Matt Lungrin saw action in all of Wallace’s games.
Robertson led the Wildcats in assists and steals and had over 100 rebounds while averaging just under nine points per game.
Wallace started off the season well, going 5-1.
“We surprised some teams and people in the early part of the year,” Miller said, but, when the Wildcats hit some bumps later in the year, the team showed their resiliency and kept playing for each other.
“This was always a close team that enjoyed being with each other,” Miller said.
The Wildcats played 23-3 Hyannis, 19-5 Medicine Valley, 18-8 Mullen and 23-3 Dundy County Stratton during a seven-game stretch heading into the RPAC tournament.
Overall, Wallace only lost one game to a team with a losing record.
Miller said Wallace will have a different looking team next season.
“We have some great kids and pieces coming back that will look to develop a larger role on the team. We look to build on the strengths that we will have, and to continue to grow in all areas that we can,” Miller said.