Scott City basketball enters 2023-24 with experience and newfound size

It's not every year that a 6'6" junior walks into the gym and adds a new dynamic to the makeup of the team.

That's what the Scott City Rams have in Kobe Watson, who transferred from Murray, Kentucky during the spring of the previous school year. He already made an impact on the baseball team during their 2023 district title run and has the potential to do the same on the court.

"We got somebody who's got some length and some size and obviously helps you out," Scott City head coach Mark Dannenmueller said. "We don't have anybody his height."

Watson scored 10 points per game and shot 39 percent from the three-point line as a sophomore guard at Murray. Now he's a junior forward with a knack for three-point shooting.

"We got a lot of athleticism," Dannenmueller said. "That's one thing that I think we're gonna have across the board this year."

The Rams can be expected to shoot from the top of the key and around the arch this season with seniors Luke Umfleet, Brenden Beussink, Nathan Ham, and Kalen Conner along with Watson.

"We got quite a few guys that can shoot it," Dannenmueller said. "Two freshmen, Kaden Lowry and Braeden Walton are both pretty good shooters. So I feel like we have several guys that can shoot it."

The Rams struggled to an 11-15 record last year but played their best basketball during the final month. The Rams finished the regular season with a six-game winning streak before falling to Saxony Lutheran in the district tournament.

Scott City only lost two seniors last year and bring back six seniors including Mark Panagos, who took last year off to focus on football.

"Overall, I think we have a chance to be a lot better because we return almost everybody," Dannenmueller said. "We had a good summer and guys that got valuable experience last year are back this year, which helps."

The Rams made an early statement last season when they defeated Notre Dame in the first round of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. They have a good opportunity to build on their record leading up to this year's tournament with five of their first seven games at home, including back-to-back matchups with St. Vincent (Dec. 15) and Saxony Lutheran (Dec. 19).

After the Christmas Tournament, Scott City will play half of its eight games leading up to the Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament at home.

"We always want to compete for conference, always want to compete for the conference tournament," Dannenmueller said. "We always want to compete for the district. You have those goals. Sometimes you have to temper those a little bit more, but we think we have a chance.

"We want to play all four days in the Christmas Tournament, that's always our goal," he added. "But to be honest, we want to get better every single day. I know that sounds cliche, but we really do."

The Rams begin their season on the road against North Pemiscot, a program that has won a total of eight games since 2018, on Nov. 28.