For Mehlville boys basketball coach Daniel Braun, this season was a mixed bag. He and his team were not satisfied with how the season ended, but there was also progress made by younger players.
“We did not meet our expectations this season,” Braun said. “We set the goal of competing for a district championship, and we were not there. At the same time, I feel we improved through the year and am very proud of the players for all of the work that we put in.”
The Panthers finished with a record of 11-16 on the season. Junior Brady Sights led the team in scoring, averaging just over 14 points per game. Along with Sights, junior Marcus Jacobs, who averaged just over eight points per game, will also be looked at to continue their leadership roles for next season.
“Our leaders were our juniors Marcus Jacobs and Brady Sights,” Braun said. “Both made significant strides from their sophomore to junior years and I’m excited to see their continued growth.”
As for seniors who will be moving on, the Panthers will see six players graduate.
Corey Ward, Mirsad Velic, Trent Minner, Andrew Groves, Aron DeRoy and Mickey Barrett will all graduate at the end of the school year.
DeRoy was second on the team in scoring, averaging 12 points per game and nine rebounds per game.
While they didn’t average a ton of points, Groves, Velic and Barrett were each important pieces to the Panthers squad.
“Seniors Andrew Groves, Mirsad Velic and Mickey Barrett all did a tremendous job during their last season of executing their roles,” Braun said. “Each had multiple games where they were the best player on the floor for us and we would not have had the success we did this year without their contributions.”
As he reflected back on the season, Braun admitted he will cherish a lot of the time he spent with the team.
“When I reflect back on a season, the first thoughts that always come to mind are the practices, the team meals, the time in the locker room after wins,” he said. “Those moments with your team are things that players and coaches don’t ever forget.”
While the season just ended, the Panthers are already looking forward to next season.
“Over the offseason, we’ll continue to work to improve our individual skills, build some strength and build team chemistry,” Braun said. “Looking forward to next year there is going to be a big emphasis placed on individual skill building.”
Braun said the Panthers are already in the gym, working to get better and prepare for next season.
“Across the board, our players need to continue to improve in their shooting, ball handling and passing ability,” he said. “Offseason is the time where individual players can separate themselves. I think we have a strong group of players that will put in the work necessary to make improvement. We’ve had just a few days since our season ended and a large number of players have been hungry to get back in the gym and the weight room.”
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