Highland set for strong hoops season

Aaron Viner

Sports editor

It was a banner year for the Highland boys? basketball team last year.

In the 2014-15 season, the Huskies posted an 18-5 record, and finished one game out of first place.

That?s momentum the Huskies will look to continue this season, and they have the tools returning to do just that.

Highland had eight players who appeared in at least 22 of the 23 games last season, and coming into this season, will only lose one of those athletes to graduation.

While Jesse Wollrab?s production (7.6 points, 4.4 assists per game) will surely be missed for the Huskies, it will be a task that the entire team can overcome.

Highland will return its top three scorers from a season ago, led by junior Trent Lasek, who was a unanimous selection for the All-Southeast Iowa Super Conference first team after averaging 14.2 points, 4.5 assists and two steals per game as a sophomore.

Lasek is joined by sharpshooter Tucker Hall, who parleyed his conference-high 58 3-pointers (41.4 percent shooting from behind the arc) into a first-team All-Conference selection in his junior season.

The Huskies will also return senior Nick Sandburg, who scored 7.9 points per game last year to go with a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game.

Highland should enter the season as one of the North Division favorites, along with Winfield-Mt. Union, but if there is one knock on the Huskies based on last season?s team, it would be their inside presence.

The Huskies compensated for that last year with a strong outside game, knocking down the most 3-pointers in the conference, but to advance further into the playoffs in 2015-16, Highland will need to gain a strong inside game.

Girls looking to replace strong players

After losing All-State athlete Chelsey Lampe to graduation, the mantle comes down to the two returning All-Conference selections for the Huskies coming into the new season.

Highland figures to be led by senior Cheyann Adamson (10.2 points, 2 assists per game) and junior Kelsey Hora (9.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3 assists per game), who were both second-team all conference selections a year ago.

The Huskies will have a number of fresh faces joining the team this year, hoping to make a big impact, and head coach Jody Fink said he is excited about the prospects of his team, especially with their ability to shoot the ball this season.

Check out a full preview of the Highland girls? team in Monday?s edition of The Journal as the Huskies will host their media day on Saturday morning.