By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor
A conference realignment in the GAC didn’t bode all that well for the Warrenton boys basketball team. Despite a shift that had the Warriors playing within the smallest of three divisions, they finished winless in league play and went 8-18 overall. After winning the Clopton Tournament and peaking in early January, Warrenton dropped 12 of its last 13 games. They defeated Wright City in the consolation meeting of the Hermann Tournament, before going winless through the entire month of February. Coach Trevor Hibbs says several factors played into the Warriors’ downfall.Warrenton was without its leading scorer for much of January. Senior T.J. Lafaver earned MVP honors during a sensational showing in the Clopton Tournament, but the aggressive nature of the games took a toll on his body. “When T.J. got hurt it really put a damper on us,” said Hibbs. “When he got himself into game mode, he was a different person. His never say die attitude. It didn’t matter what the score was, he was still giving 100-percent out there.” By the time Lafaver returned, the Warriors were into the heart of a taxing conference schedule.Warrenton had opened the season relatively strong, taking consolation at the Montgomery County Tournament and winning seven of its first 13 games. But four GAC foes, all which ended the season with winning records, awaited the Warriors. To Hibbs’ despair, they would have to play each twice according to the new alignment that pitted home and away series. All of Warrenton’s conference games were decided by 13 points or more, minus a four-point loss at Orchard Farm on Feb. 1. “I knew conference would be tough,” exacknowledged Hibbs. “I thought we would compete a little better with Winfield and Orchard Farm.” Hibbs looks at an overtime loss against Northwest and a double-overtime defeat to Montgomery County as games the Warriors let slip away. Even with Lafaver, who averaged 13.3 points and four assists, it was difficult to compete in league play. Limited depth at the post position created challenges for the Warriors, who often fell victim to foul trouble. “We struggled on stopping penetration and defending in the post,” said Hibbs. “Other than Matt (Schneider), we really didn’t have any size inside.” Schneider, a senior, was responsible for the bulk of the inside game, netting 9.6 points and grabbing 8.8 rebounds per game. “Early on Matt was rebounding well for us and pretty soon all the teams started boxing him out,” said Hibbs. “Other guys weren’t as aggressive on rebounding as Matt, so that hurt us.” His help came from the undersized Ron Richardson, who cleaned up 6.5 boards and scored 8.8 points a contest. “Ron shot the ball well for us from outside,” said Hibbs. “If it wasn’t for him and his shooting, we would’ve been out of some games real quick.” Sophomore Alec Tonioli was among the most athletic in a balanced scoring effort, dropping in 8.5 points a game. He collected four rebounds per game and was a team leader in steals. “He’s extremely athletic,” said Hibbs. “I assigned him to guard the best kid from Hermann, and he totally shut him down.” Hibbs credits senior Trevor Bradshaw with being the Warriors’ most improved player this season. He offered to step into a point guard role that was in flux and finished the season averaging 6.3 and 2.5 assists per game. “Trevor improved so much from last year to this year in his effort and decision-making improved tremendously too,” said Hibbs. Warrenton received contribution from the backup guard spots from Devon Hampton and Brian Lanigan. Juniors Brandon Moeller and Luke Hawley also provided minutes off the bench, while Hibbs was particularly pleased with the progress of Jacob Lanham. “Jacob stepped up big for us, especially there later in the season,” said Hibbs. Lanham and Bradshaw were the only two players to appear in all 26 games. In order to move forward, Hibbs says the Warriors will have to commit more to defense. “The whole team has got to understand that defense is what wins championships, even on the nights when we don’t shoot well,” said Hibbs.
Warrenton sophomore Alec Tonioli will return next season with two years of experience as a varsity starter.
Derrick Forsythe Photo.
