PLAYERS TO WATCH
Rhidge Barela, Highland
Owen Wilde, Highland
Chase Crane, Madison
Nash Humpherys, Madison
Bear Wilson, Madison
Ridge Nield, Rigby
Hudson Harker, Thunder Ridge
Written by: Marlowe Hereford
New players will have the opportunity to step up in 5A District 5-6 this season.
The four teams graduated a combined 21 players from last season, and the all-conference list was consequently senior heavy.
The Madison boys basketball team enters its third season under head coach Shane Humpherys. The Bobcats graduated two players, James Lindstrom and Daxton Webb, from last season's 19-8 team which won a third consecutive 5A District 5-6 championship and reached the 5A state third place game, but return all-conference player of the year Berrett Wilson and first team all-conference player Nash Humpherys.
Madison returns all five starters from last year's team which went undefeated versus conference opponents.
"We share and move the ball pretty well," Coach Humpherys said. "We try to disrupt what other teams like to do."
Continuing to improve will be the 'X factor' for the Bobcats this season, he said.
"(We) must compete and get better in practice all year, push each other and have extremely competitive practices which will carry over to games," Humpherys said.
Humpherys named Highland as a team to keep an eye on this season. The Rams, who took second in the conference last season to qualify for state, are in their second season under head coach Matt Stucki.
"I like what Stucki is doing," Humpherys said.
Highland graduated six from last season's 14-14 team, including first team all-conference player Jayden Wright and second team all-conference player Garrett Campbell, but return second team all-conference player Rhidge Barela and all-conference honorable mention player Owen Wilde.
Rigby graduated seven, the most of any team in the conference, from last season's 14-10 team, including first team all-conference players Jakobe Jones and Dallas Taylor and second team all-conference player Noah Nunez.
Thunder Ridge graduated six from last season's 8-15 team, including first team all-conference player Nick Potter, second team all-conference player Porter Brizzee and all-conference honorable mention player Conner Hall but return all-conference honorable mention player Hudson Harker.