Lee, Tigers more comfortable in second season

Despite losing two prolific scorers, the Cape Central Tigers are hopeful their young core will continue to develop in 2023-24.

The Tigers lost Taylor Horton and Ki Bogan to graduation but they still feature a squad with lots of upside.

“They’re definitely excited,” Tigers coach Aaron Lee said. “Everyone will have different roles because when you lose two, 1,000 point scorers, those points now have to come from somewhere else. Now, some of those kids that were role players last year are going to become our primary scorers.”

Lee will also be inserting players into his rotation that have yet to play varsity minutes.

“The biggest jump (from JV to Varsity) is the intensity level,” Lee said. “Kids also tend to view the game differently at the varsity level.”

The task of finding those points elsewhere will be tough but Lee has already made his expectations clear.

“We have to score the ball defensively as well,” Lee said. “We have to be better defensively.”

Lee and his staff are expecting big things from returning players like Abby Davenport, Polly Gonzalez and Brooklynn Moss.

“Those girls will be our primary scorers,” Lee said. “We’re really expecting a lot from Abby Davenport. She worked really hard all summer and we think she’s going to end up being one of our leading scorers.”

In 2022-23, the Tigers finished the season with a record of 16-12 in Lee’s first season with the team.

Perhaps the biggest advantage this year for the Tigers is the fact they had a summer with a head coach in place.

“Last year when I came in the summer had already passed,” Lee said. “This was actually my first summer and that in itself has made a huge difference. Then, when you walk into a gym and have the leadership that we have this year, it made it a completely different summer for sure.”

The Tigers open the season at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, when they travel to take on the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders.

Some other key dates for the Tigers include the SEMO Conference Tournament on Nov. 27, the home opener on Jan. 4 against Poplar Bluff and the regular season finale on Feb. 19 against Park Hills Central.