Thanks to a senior-laden team and a first-team all-conference performer, the Wright City boys basketball team was able to more than double last season’s win total in 2018, finishing 12-13 overall.

The Wildcats were eliminated by North Callaway in the first round of the Class 3, District 7 Tournament last month at Winfield.

“Coming into the season we wanted to be better than last season, and we did that as far as the win-loss record goes,” first-year Head Coach David Evans said. “As the season got going, I had a lot higher expectations for the end of our season.”

Wright City rebounded from an opening-night loss to Warrenton and improved to 8-6 by mid-January.

But according to Evans, the final month of the season could have played out better.

“I wish we could go back and play a few of our late conference games again, because I think we’d play them better next time,” he said. “We lost to Clopton, who we should have beaten. And there were a few games throughout the season that you would have liked to have back, but we won 12 and played in a bunch of close games.”

The Wildcats were led by six seniors, including first-team all-conference member Devon Holmes and starting guards Cameron Cole and Sean McDonald.

The group helped post Wright City’s best record since 2015, but Evans still saw a program that struggled against some of the better teams in the Eastern Missouri Conference.

The Wildcats were swept by EMO rivals Montgomery County, North Callaway, Clopton, Bowling Green and Elsberry.

Evans hopes continued improvement within the program will erase the pressure to play the top teams in the league.

“There are definitely teams I’ve seen over the years that just can’t beat certain schools, no matter what the talent looks like on the court,” he said. “I think there were schools this year where we were kind of that way. I don’t think it’s a mental thing, but it might have been a thing where the kids tried too hard. But I definitely think that’s real, especially in high school sports.”

Whomever is coaching the Wildcats next year — Evans, who is also the athletic director, posted the job opening and hopes to hire a new coach for next season — will do so with four new starters.

Junior guard David Liddell will be the only returning starter next season.

“David was strong for us this year,” Evans said. “He’s been a shooter, but around mid-season he really got going. He had 29 points against Silex for Courtwarming, so that was a big game for him. We’re hoping to get him some conference recognition, but if he continues to shoot like he did, he’ll definitely be a first-team all-conference guy next season.”

A new lineup will bring a new style of play as well.

“We’re going to have a good, strong-shooting team,” Evans said. “This year we tried to get up the court quick and get to the basket, but next year the goal is going to keep the other team from scoring. So we’re going to run some slower offense and make good passes and get open looks. We’re going to have to be more disciplined next year.”

Younger players who expect to make an impact next season include J.J. McRoberts, Dillon Seabaugh and Branden Contreras.

“Next year is going to be a little different situation because we’re going to have totally different clientele,” Evans said. “We’re not going to be able to score over guys at the rim as well as we have, so we’re going to have to shoot it well.”