ROXANA - The Roxana High School boys basketball team won six games this year with a very young team but has a bright future ahead, Coach Mark Briggs said during the season.
The boys persevered through some tough losses. The Shells had wins against Bunker Hill, Okawville, Dupo, rival Southwestern in a close one 28-27, Lebanon and at the end of the season 58-54 over a tough Carrollton squad at home.
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Roxana lost to Hillsboro in the post-season.
Members of the Shells squad were seniors Nolan Tolbert, Owen Wieneke and Matt Taylor. Then players who will come back are junior center Ashton Noble, sophomore forward Jackson Garman, sophomore Michael Silas, freshman Andrew Ellis, sophomore Cade Smay, and sophomores Carson Ryan, Chris Walleck, Nick Newton, Evan Wells and Aidan Briggs.
Coach Mark Briggs says the boys are a hard-working group and he believes the experience gained through this season will pay off for success in the future. The boys are the Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athletes of the Month for Roxana High School.
Coach Briggs’ son - Aidan - averaged about 13 points a game this season and is only a sophomore. Sophomore Chris Wallace averaged 11 points a game and he returns and Evan Wells, another sophomore returns, and he averaged about 8 points a game but was also was a solid defensive player and playmaker.
Junior Ashton Noble and another sophomore Cade Smay also return next season for the Shells along with a host of other younger players.
Coach Briggs said his basketball boys will be busy this summer at some camps and he expects his squad to come ready to play next winter with many seniors leaving other area squads.
Anyone who discounts the Roxana Shells basketball team next season better think twice, with the varsity experience of this season, they will be tough to beat in 2022-2023.
