Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Hillcrest
2. Blackfoot
3. Skyline
4. Shelley
5. Bonneville
Players to Watch
Cooper Kesler, Hillcrest
Isaac Davis, Hillcrest
Kobe Kesler, Hillcrest
Jake Scoresby, Bonneville
McKay Judy, Bonneville
JaVonte King, Blackfoot
Deegan Hale, Blackfoot
Alex Lott, Shelley
Cannon Vance, Shelley
Kenyon Sadiq, Skyline
Written by: Marlowe Hereford
Unpredictability defined the 2020-21 4A High Country Conference boys basketball season.
Hillcrest played close with 5A teams, getting wins over the likes of Madison, Rigby and Idaho Falls, and went undefeated versus 4A competition in the regular season save for a conference loss to Skyline. Eventual No. 3 seeded Blackfoot also got wins over 5A teams Thunder Ridge, Rigby, Idaho Falls and Highland. Shelley pushed eventual No. 2 seeded Bonneville to two overtimes before falling in the regular season finale for both teams.
In the end, Skyline took the No. 4 seed into districts and ran the table, defeating No. 1 seed Hillcrest 42-38 on Feb. 25 in the if-necessary district title game to claim their first district championship since 2000.
The Grizzlies went two-and-out at their first state tournament since 2015 to finish 10-19 and graduated Cade Marlow and big man Raleigh Shippen, but coaches around the conference have still tabbed defending district champion Skyline as a team to not overlook.
"Clint Cornish always does a great job of having his kids playing their best at the end of the season," said Hillcrest coach Dave Austin, whose team faced Skyline six times last season. "They always start slow because of football going so long and them getting a late start in basketball, but by the end, they are playing great basketball."
Hillcrest, which had numerous underclassmen last year and went 19-10 overall, graduated no one and returns an experienced core group in Kobe Kesler, Isaac Davis, Garrett Phippen, Jase Austin and all conference and all state first teamer Cooper Kesler (13.3 points, 3 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 2.5 assists per game last season). The Knights reached the third place game of the 4A state tournament, where they fell 51-49 to Bishop Kelly.
With so many returning players, building up what they already have is a priority for the Knights.
"We hope to continue to build on that team chemistry from last year and play at a fast pace," Austin said.
Coach Austin added that the Knights hope to put more pressure on opponents this season.
Dynamic scorer Carson Johnson (21 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists per game last season) graduated from Bonneville, which defeated Blackfoot in overtime in an elimination district tournament game last season before being eliminated by eventual district champion Skyline to finish 11-13 overall. The Bees return Jake Scoresby, McKay Judy, Ty Bennett and Colby Ward, and will add varsity newcomers Keegan Smith, a senior who coach John Tucker should be an impact player on defense, and Catcher Gummow, a former JV player who will play point guard.
While Tucker said the Bees scored well last season, they must improve on defense.
"We must be a better defensive team to be successful," Tucker said.
He added that he hopes the Bees, who took the No. 2 seed into last year's district tournament,
will be a surprise team this season.
"We return no experience, and no one knows who our kids are," Tucker said.
The Blackfoot Broncos, who went 11-12 last season and took the No. 3 seed into districts, graduated Jace Grimmett, Candon Dahle, Jaden Harris, Carter Layton and Jaxon Ball from last season. Blackfoot returns JaVonte King, Deegan Hale and Dylan Peterson.
King is a junior whose name was mentioned by multiple conference coaches as a player to watch, Hale made an impact upon moving up to varsity late last season and has grown to 6-foot-3 and Peterson is a 6-foot-5 senior described by second year head coach Clint Arave as an excellent shooter who is also tall enough to defend posts.
Arave said in addition to Hale, newcomers to varsity will be Jaxon Grimmett, Kort Capson and Colby Bodkin. Arave described Blackfoot's playing style as 'organized chaos,' which helped the Broncos overcome deficits and win games last season.
As for the team the Broncos most look forward to playing in the regular season, Arave tabbed the Knights. Blackfoot played Hillcrest twice last season, falling by 10 and nine points, respectively.
"I feel they will be our hardest match up and will give us an idea where we are at," Arave said. "Along with that, they are in our conference and will be considered one of the best teams in the state."
Arave said Shelley, which is in its fourth season under head coach Jim Kolsen, will be a team to
watch this winter. The Russets got tight wins over 3A powerhouse Sugar-Salem, eventual 3A Mountain Rivers Conference champion Teton and eventual district champion Skyline last year during the regular season.
"This team is on the uptick and has a good young base working their way through the program," Arave said. "They're big and physical and get better every year."
The Russets graduated Trevor Austin and Braxton Miskin from last year's team which went 4-18 overall. Kolsen said sophomore multi-sport athlete Brecker Williams should be an impact player for Shelley.
"His experience from being quarterback of a good football team will definitely help," Kolsen said.
Kolsen added that the Russets played tough defensively last season, but hope to score more points this winter.