Congratulations to All-Missourian basketball teams

"Basketball is a team sport," "There's no 'i' in team" and "I couldn't have done it without my teammates" are expressions everyone has heard. Basketball requires five teammates on the floor competing against another five. But every good team has at least one player without whom it would not be successful. The high-school season ended with various star players receiving credit for their talents, some being named to the high school All-Missourian basketball teams, and two named player of the year.

Sports help shape students into well-rounded people. They teach life lessons like fulfilling one's role, embracing the moment, and identifying strengths and weaknesses. Basketball may be one of the best sports to highlight individual accomplishments within the team concept. We honor area players, both boys and girls, who were named to the All-Missourian teams.

Making the All-Missourian Boys Basketball Team are Lane Baremore, sophomore, Meadow Heights; Zach Beel, senior, Woodland; Blake Bauwens, senior, Notre Dame; Dylan Keller, junior, Scott City; Dawson Mayo, junior, Advance; Cole Nichols, junior, Bell City; Nathan Noland, senior, Perryville; Austin Parker, sophomore, Cape Girardeau Central; Jeffery Porter, senior, Scott County Central; William Rogers, junior, Saxony Lutheran; Jacob Smith, senior, Jackson; and Al Young, senior, Capem Girardeau Central.

Chosen for the All-Missourian Girls Basketball Team are Sam Brennan, junior, Notre Dame; Leah Cauble, freshman, Oran; Johneisha Daniel, sophomore, Scott County Central; Ahnie Hoff, senior, Perryville; Jessie Long, freshman, Oran; Grace Mirly, senior, Saxony Lutheran; Brianna Mueller, senior, Saxony Lutheran; Krista Rhodes, sophomore, Woodland; Julia Sutterfield, senior, Chaffee; Cassidi Tomsu, senior, Jackson; Jackie Verseman, sophomore, St. Vincent; and Raegan Wieser, senior, Saxony Lutheran.

Congratulations to these athletes, who did their schools and their teams proud. Speaking to the Southeast Missourian, they shared such things as sage advice they live by, players they model themselves after and favorite season memories.

Kudos also to Brianna Mueller and Al Young. For the second consecutive year, Mueller has been named Southeast Missourian Girls Basketball Player of the Year, and she ends her high school career with accolades that include four district championships, two final four appearances and exemplary personal stats.

"It's super flattering and it makes me feel like what I've done is worth something and people have noticed it, the work I've put in," Mueller said, even as she heaped praise on her teammates for her success.

Much props go to Al Young, the newly anointed Southeast Missourian Boys Basketball Player of the Year, who is "the first person in 27 years to be named the most outstanding SEMO Conference player in both basketball and football" and is headed to Southeast Missouri State University to play football.

Though football is his preferred sport, Young will carry with him lessons from his basketball coach, Drew Church, because they will do him well in any sport and, more importantly, in life.

"I just try to be a leader, and Coach Church has shown us how to be men and how to live up to your responsibilities," Young said.

All these young men and women are winners, and we salute them. They have represented their teams and themselves well.