The West Central Area and Hancock boys basketball teams both finished 11-1 in the Pheasant Conference this season after splitting the regular-season series against each other, and the Owls and Knights were well represented on the all-conference team announced recently.
Hancock just got done finishing second at the Class A state tournament. Junior forward Matt Thompson led a talented team, and he was named the Pheasant Conference MVP, with teammates Preston Rohloff, Kody Berget and Brandon Kellenberger also named to the all-conference team.
The Knights had four players named All-Pheasant Conference, as well. Senior guard Grant Beuckens (14 points-per game, 4 rebounds-per game, 3 assists-per game, 2 steals-per game), senior center Brady Reeve (12 PPG, 7 RPG), senior forward Tate Christenson (8 PPG, 5 RPG, 4 APG, 3 SPG) and junior forward Ryder Staples (11 PPG, 5 RPG, 3 APG) earned that honor, and head coach Kraig Hunter was named the coach of the year in the league. Staples added 31 blocked shots to his season line, and was a 44% shooter from three and 51% overall.
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Brandon-Evansville, which plays in both the Little Eight Conference and Pheasant Conference, had Titus Fuller and Tyler Bitzan named All-Pheasant Conference. Both of those guys are juniors expected to be back for the Chargers next winter.
Other all-conference players are Clint Determan (Wheaton-Herman-Norcross), Micah Foss (Hillcrest), Cole Gilsdorf (CGB) and Sam Brumfeld (Hillcrest). Honorable-mention selections are Dylan Bainbridge (WHN), Grant Dawson (WHN), Nate Moberg (CGB), Owen Longnecker (Ortonville), Andrew Walker (WHN) and Micah Henrich (Ortonville).
