Risco boys basketball program hopes to benefit from past experience

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Pictured is the Risco varsity boys baketball team.

The Risco Tigers boys basketball program enters its 2020-21 campaign looking to build upon the experience its newcomers gained last season.

Risco returns four starters off of last season’s relatively young varsity squad that finished 14-12 and graduated just two seniors.

“We’ve got enough guys coming back to compete,” Risco coach Brandon Blankenship said. “It’s just going to come down to how hard our guys want to work and realize they are going to have to come together because it takes all of them to do it.”

Anchoring the squad is senior point guard Kamron Meese.

“He was our second leading scorer and leading assist guy last year,” Blankenship said. “He was also our primary ball-handler. He hit a lot of shots for us last year in big situations so he is our go-to offensive threat.”

The other returning senior starter is Evan Pipkin

“He was our third leading scorer,” Blankenship said of Pipkin, who is listed at six-foot-two. “He can put the ball in the hole for us. He’s also one of our best defensive players. He has some length and gets deflections.”

Returning down low is six-foot-three junior center Hayden Ludwig.

“He’s our big guy inside,” Blankenship said. “He’s gotten a lot stronger. He averaged nine points and eight rebounds per game last season. We are looking for him to step up and play a big role for us inside.”

The fourth returning starter is five-foot-eleven junior guard Michael Hull.

“Michael is a defensive-minded guy that brings a lot of toughness and heart to the game,” Blankenship said.

Newcomers expected to join the four returning starters on the court are six-foot-two post player Dawson Albritton and five-foot-ten junior guard Braison Jackson

“Dawson Albritton is a senior who hasn’t played since he was a freshman,” Blankenship said. “He’s a big, strong kid that has a nice touch around the basket. He’s going to have to work on getting in shape but should play a big role for us.

"Braison Jackson was our leading scorer on junior varsity last season,” Blankenship added. “He hustles and works hard on the defensive end.”

Risco opens its season at the Campbell Invitational Nov. 30 - Dec. 2.

“Campbell should be the front-runner with everything they have coming back,” Blankenship said. “Bernie is also always at the top of it. It’s a tough tournament. We’ve won it two of the last six years so we know we can compete in it but we are also the smallest school in it so we have to be firing on all cylinders to have success.”

Risco’s home opener is Dec. 8 against traditional talent Oran.

“Oran is one of the toughest teams we play,” Blankenship said. “It’s a good game for us. It allows us to know early in the season where we are at and what we need to work on. Coach Shoemaker is one of the top, if not the top coach in the area. But we like playing teams like Oran. We want as many tough tests as we can get.”

Risco hopes to continue its recent string of success in Tri-County Conference play. Risco won the Tri-County Conference Tournament in 2017, 2018, and 2019 before falling in the title game of its conference tournament to Gideon last season.

“Cooter won a district last season and has some good talent coming up so they should be excited about what they have,” Blankenship said of the conference. “Clarkton should be at the top also. Gideon also returns some pieces along with Holcomb. I expect those teams to be at the top of the conference.”

Risco Boys Basketball Schedule