Basketball clubs continue to gear up for the fast approaching 2019-20 season and Colorado Preps continues the rundown of top players and teams from each conference.  Next up for review is the Ark Valley.
Two narrow losses at the state tournament ended an otherwise stellar 2018-19 season for the Walsh Eagles.  They won the Ark Valley title last season and then advanced to the state tournament by beating Cheraw 57-53 in overtime in the regional finals.  Once in Pueblo, the Eagles battled both Merino and Kit Carson to the end but fell short by three points in each contest.  They’re again favored to land the league title this year as most of the roster returns for another run.  Kim/Branson and Springfield are also coming off double-digit win seasons and hope to push the Eagles for the top spot.
We list the top three returnees for each club in several categories.  Numbers are based on stats posted to MaxPreps during the 2018-19 season.
 
Walsh (18-7)

  • Points: Rylan McCall (11.4), Dylan Renquist (10.9), Brenden Hodges (8.8)
  • Rebounds: Renquist (6.4), Coy McDonald (4.8), Hodges (3.2)
  • Assists: McDonald (2.3), McCall (1.3), Renquist (0.8)
  • Three’s: McCall (52), Renquist (26), McDonald (25)

Kim/Branson (12-11)

  • Points: Elijah Aragon (13.3), Joe Buhrle (8.4), Travis Hamilton (7.0)
  • Rebounds: Buhrle (4.6), Hamilton (4.5), Finn Warner (3.7)
  • Assists: Aragon (3.7), Kinton Shannon (1.3), Kelton Davis (1.0)
  • Three’s: Aragon (51), Davis (34), Hamilton (14)

Springfield (14-8)

  • Points: Darian Schaller (9.7), Dakota Mort (5.1), Luke Hutches (2.9)
  • Rebounds: Mort (3.2), Schaller (2.6), Hutches & Hayden Lasley (1.7)
  • Assists: Schaller (3.4), Lasley & Mort (0.5)
  • Three’s: Schaller (31), Lasely (3), Mort & Hutches (2)

South Baca (9-10)

  • Points: Shadow Vernado (22.0), Camden Wilson (4.5), Keyen Nusser (1.9)
  • Rebounds: Vernado (10.4), Wilson (5.7), Nusser (3.0)
  • Assists: Vernado (4.0), Wilson (1.8), Nusser (1.1)
  • Three’s: Vernado (54), Wilson (9), Jake Hinds (6)

Wiley (8-14)

  • Points: Lawrence Lucero (15.0), Westin Langston (6.5), Skylar Phillips (3.2)
  • Rebounds: Lucero (7.1), Phillips (4.0), Cade Pankey (3.7)
  • Assists: Lucero (2.0), Langston (1.6), Cameron Grogan (1.0)
  • Three’s: Lucero (39), Langston (34), Phillips (9)