With no returning seniors, you could forgive Coach Tanner Burton if he wanted to look at this season for the Higbee girls basketball squad as a rebuilding year, but there will be none of that. Coach Burton is very excited about the versatility of this years team of 10 girls and believes they have a chance to do very well.

The 2019-2020 team relied heavily on senior Devin Clark who is now playing for Moberly Christian College after having led Higbee in several statistical categories. “Last year we finished at 8-17,” Burton said. “But there were 11 games we lost by only 11 points or less. We could easily have been a 15-win team.”

This season shows promise with two juniors, Macey Whisenand and Victoria Gibson, that accumulated significant playing last year. Whisenand averaged 10 points per game. Another junior returning to the court after not having played last year is 5-foot-8-inch Isabelle Welch. The three juniors, along with four freshman and three sophomores look to put pressure on Coach Burton to decide who will be in his starting five as they begin the Mendon Tournament on November 30. “We have probably eight girls that could start.” Burton commented. While Whisenand and Gibson will be key pieces, he said that a lot of the sophomores will get significant time.

Depth is an important part of this team and that is not lost on Burton as he prepares for this season. “The only other time we’ve had this much depth, we played for a district title against Glasgow,” Burton pointed out. “With this much depth, we’ll have to adapt to rotation,” in getting fresh players into the game.

Coach Burton said “Making sure all the girls are in shape and confident will be a tremendous part of the process. 

“At this point, although we are confident, we’re mainly just hoping for a mostly full basketball season. Although we continue to worry about getting those calls in the middle of the week, having to cancel a game.”