Following a 6-20 campaign that ended in district heartbreak, Shakar Butler acknowledges the Wright City basketball team may have not reached its full potential. With their top two scorers returning from last season, the Wildcats are looking to complete their journey toward a district title. But if this truly is going to be the year of resurgence for Wright City, Butler and junior teammate Deon Bradshaw will be largely responsible for leading the movement. Butler averaged 12.8 points as a junior last year but wasn't counted on to be the primary vocal leader. With his older brother Shajuan having graduated, that role has changed. "I'm always used to somebody at my side telling me this has to happen and taking control and leading," said Butler. "I realize that I have to step up and fulfill that role now." Butler will be the Wildcats starting point guard during his fourth year at the varsity level. He credits second-year coach Mark Scacewater for helping him take his game to another level. "Coach (Mark) Scacewater has played a big role for me becoming a leader, because I know exactly what I need to do for the team to win," said Butler. "It's a big responsibility, but I feel like I'm ready for it." He believes the Wildcats have the tools in place to capture the school's first district title since 1987. "I'm definitely hoping for a district championship," said Butler. "I feel like we should be able to win a lot more games than what we accomplished last year... I feel like last year was a big under-achievement. But, then again, we had two players that started that have never played varsity basketball before." With that learning curve out of the way, Wright City is prepared to defend its territory, despite playing the underdog role. The Wildcats entered the Winfield Tournament as the lowest seeded team. That doesn't matter to Butler, who knows how much he and his teammates have improved. He has worked on building a more aggressive attack, especially against the zone - an area in which he struggled a year ago. "I feel like I'm attacking the zone more and that I've become a better shooter," said Butler. "The things that I lacked at last year I worked real hard over the summer and was able to turn into a couple of strong points." It appeared Butler would have a breakout season last year, as he scored 29 points in his debut against Orchard Farm. But his confidence toward attacking the zone wavered as the season progressed. "Shakar's aggressiveness has increased dramatically," said Scacewater. "I think he'll take more shots and attack the basket with more consistency this season." Unsatisfied with the results in his first season at the helm, Scacewater went back to the drawing board. Through countless coaching clinics, he came up with a new offense that Butler believes will better cater to the team's athleticism. "We've got a different zone offense that I feel like is going to work 10 times better than last year," said Butler. "It's going to be more of a fast-paced offense," said Butler. "Get the rebound, outlet, look for Brent (Ringes) or Deon." Bradshaw, one of the school's most successful multi-sport athletes, is expected to play an increased role on offense. He was second on the team in scoring last season at 9.4 points per contest. Scacewater is expecting those numbers to transition into routine double-doubles this season. Bradshaw says he if focused more on the boards. "I want to do a better job of boxing out," said Bradshaw. "I didn't do a very good job of that last year, and the team didn't either. That's why we lost to Centralia." The disappointment of a last-second 47-45 defeat to the Panthers in the district opener has lingered for nine months now. Bradshaw could be the key to a postseason berth for the Class 3 contenders. "I think Deon is definitely a big role in it with his athleticism," said Butler. "Transitioning from last year to this year, I feel like he's gotten better. He's smarter and making better decisions." Scacewater asserts that Bradshaw's greatest responsibility may not be one centered around scoring. His wingspan and leaping ability surpass that of most players on the prep level. "His biggest asset is on defense," said Scacewater. "Every shot he doesn't block, he's at least going to alter. He's a guy that I will hopefully never have to take out of the game." And there's one statistic that Bradshaw is more concerned with than points. "I don't really care about the points," said Bradshaw. "I just want to have a really big average on rebounding." Scacewater says Bradshaw may be deceiving as an offensive player. "He's very versatile and can play anywhere from the two to the five spot," said Scacewater. "I even feel confident with him shooting the open three." Butler believes the Wildcats could possess one of the most dangerous inside-out duos in the area. "I feel like it's the perfect combination," said Butler. "Deon and I have been practicing ever since the summer started. I know exactly what he's doing and or what he's thinking before he does it... He's definitely going to be the go-to-guy this year."