Boys stat leaders returning next season

With the Plainsmen basketball season complete, Coach Shawn Cole praised his team for the hard work they put in this season. 

While the Plainsmen finished with just six wins, that didn’t define their season.

Cole went into the year with a young squad that developed and matured as the season progressed. 

His team never backed down from an opponent and always played hard for four quarters, regardless of the score.

Cole will lose the leadership of four seniors this year while the bulk of his stat leaders this season will be returning as juniors next year. 

Looking at team stats, the Plainsmen finished with a 6-16 record.

For the field, the Plainsmen finished with an overall shooting average of 39%. They hit   43% of their 2-pointers and 30% of their 3-pointers. 

At the free throw line, they finished at 56% and averaged 44.5 points per game. 

On the boards, they averaged 25.1 rebounds per game, 7.3 steals against 16.2 turnovers per game.

Individually, Sophomore Hunter Garner led the team in  scoring with 310 points, followed by Sophomores Triston Hite with 187 points and Hayden Foster with 148 points. 

Foster finished with the best shooting percentage overall at 47%, with all of his 113 attempts coming inside the 3-point arc. 

Garner followed with an overall average of 42%. He went 82-for-169 inside the arc for 49% and was 36-for-112 for 32 percent outside the arc.

His brother, senior James Garner, also finished above 40% from 2-point range making 37 of 84 for 44%.

Hite finished as the top free throw shooter, making 48 of 68 attempts for 71%. He also went 33% from 3-point range to lead that category. 

Hunter Garner also led the team in rebounds with 131 including 112 defensive rebounds. James Garner added 93 rebounds with 74 coming at the defensive end. 

Senior Alex Poppe was known best for his passing this season, leading the team in assists with 63. Hite followed with 52.