It was all quiet on February 22nd, 2019, after the final buzzer had hit. It signaled the end of a season. The Wildcats had lost their twelfth game of the season, a 53-45 thriller against Papio South. It ended a learning season, filled with young talent, hoping to make a splash ten months later. This season, it finally awaits them.

It was a hard summer of conditioning and training. They wanted to get into a pre-season grind. They hope that after all the work, it pays off.

Millard West basketball hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse in the past. Since the 2005-2006 season, the Wildcats have had just six winning seasons. But as a new season and a new team rise, they are ready to change that. 

Last season, Millard West finished 10-12, closing out the year on a four-game losing skid. The Cats couldn’t seem to find a rhythm all year. They’d win a couple, and then they’d lose a couple. It seemed to be inconsistency that had plagued them

They are led by senior forward Zach Olson. The 6’6” player is a proven player committed to play basketball for Morningside Community College next winter. Olson averaged 7.1 points per game with 2.9 rebounds per game. But the young players are going to be the story for the Wildcats. Their returning leading scorer is junior Evan Meyersick, who averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.5 RPG. 

“It’ll be a huge year for sure,” Meyersick said. “A lot of things change after making that sophomore to junior year jump.”

This team is filled with juniors just like him. For Millard West to be successful this year, a heavy load of that success will have to come from those juniors. With many young players on this team, they will be led by the senior core. 

A huge piece of that core is senior Kaedyn Odermann. The 6’5” forward averaged 6 PPG and 4 RPG last season. His height and skill in the paint will be integral to help the Wildcats win paint battles.

“It helps being a receiver in football,” Odermann said. “I’m used to going up to grab the football during the fall, so when it comes to winter time, it’s almost the same. 

On the other side, last season’s leading scorer, senior Tristan Gomes, won’t be playing this year. Losing a lead scorer can be a huge blow for a team, but Millard West will look for scoring all over the floor. Junior Dominic Humm looks to be a point in the offense.

“We just have to look for open shots,” Humm said. “We just have to move the ball around until we get the look we want.”

The Wildcats look to open up the season with a bang, before transitioning to 2020. Maybe this can be the special year they have been looking for.