By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
Despite returning just one starter from their 2021-22 squad, the Wamego boy’s basketball team hasn’t missed a beat and will head into the month of February with an overall record of 9-5.
The Red Raiders won six of their first seven games and have gone toe to toe with some of the best in the state since, with several opportunities to pick up a season-defining win still to come.
“We’re an efficient team when we take the shots that we want,” Wamego head coach Troy Hemphill said. “We’re solid on the boards despite not being a huge team and defensively we’re not giving up much on an average night so I’ve been pleased there. We’ve had several bright spots offensively but we’re still looking for a little more consistency.”
Coming into the season, many of the questions surrounding the Raider’s program revolved around how they would replace four big starting pieces who departed from the team over the offseason.
Most of those questions have been answered with interest by a team that came flying out of the gates and has battled in close games against ranked opponents like Abilene, and larger opponents like KC Piper.
“We’re starting to see guys understand their roles and take responsibility for their job as the season goes on,” Hemphill said. “I thought coming in that we had the pieces to be good but that it would take us some time to figure out where everybody fits together.”
The Wamego offense has been led this season by a trio of Spencer Hecht (10.7 ppg), Emery Wolfe (10.6 ppg), and Drew Pettay (8.1 ppg), who combine to account for around 60% of the Raider’s scoring.
Wolfe has been especially impressive, making the transition from the two to the point, and slotting in perfectly alongside the sharpshooting Hecht, and Pettay in the post, as well as a deep roster of role players who have all made their contributions felt this season.
While Wamego has looked good in a majority of their games, they have been prone to the occasional lapse that puts the team in a bad position, something the Raiders will look to iron out down the home stretch of their season.
“Basketball is a never-ending series of decisions that have to be made and sometimes we make poor choices with where the ball needs to go,” he said. “We have to value the basketball and avoid stretches like the one we had against Rock Creek where we turned the ball over on 6/7 possessions. We just need to trust each other and get the ball where it needs to be.”
With a strong seed at this year’s sub-state tournament well within their reach, the Raiders will look to solidify their position ahead of the postseason, and prepare to make a deep run in late February.
“We definitely want to secure home games for sub-state,” Hemphill said. “At least one if not two. We also want to be in a sub-state final with a chance to go to the state tournament. I think both of those goals are within our reach even if our league may not be.”
Wamego will be back in action on Friday when the Raiders travel to Eudora to face another top-five opponent in 11-3 Eudora.
For continuing coverage of Wamego hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.