Wildcats Return Seven Seniors To The Hardwood This Season

Despite losing two seniors and another key player to transfer, Monterey High School head basketball coach Adam West is extremely optimistic about the 2019 – 2020 season.

“We lost six guys the year of our state tournament run two years ago,” West said. “I was really proud of last year’s team. We were picked fourth in the district and were able to finish second.”

Replacing talented players is nothing new for the long-time basketball coach. The Wildcats are returning seven seniors to their roster this coming season. Monterey will be led by seniors Peyton West, Tucker Phillips, Cody Allen, Jackson Billings, and Kevin Borjas.

“We are obviously experienced and look to have a good season. The team is still in a really good place,” West said. “There is also a chance that we have a kid transfer in that will be able to help us. It’s just like the year before last we had guys step up and make play and get better throughout the year.”

West feels like he is returning a competitive team that does not accept losing. That is a product of growing a program that went to the semi finals in the state tournament two seasons ago and a team that went to sub state last year. Part of that culture of expecting to win has come from the development of his younger players throughout the past several years.

“If the kids aren’t ready as freshmen we re going to develop them for a couple of years. And when they become ready as a junior, which we’ve had this happen last year for us, then all of a sudden now they are ready to go,” West said. “I don’t know that year in and year out it makes everyone happy because kids want to play early.”

The Wildcats play a 20-game junior varsity schedule that has been extremely beneficial for West and his development of young talent. They are using the JV schedule to help grow some of the younger players to be the best version of themselves by the time they are a junior or senior.

“We have eight teams in the district and all of them have the ability to be good,” West said. “I know it’s going to sound crazy but I think Clay will be the favorite in the district again. Even though they lost a lot of guys they had guys on the bench that are really good talented players. I think this is what has made us better in the past. Because of our season and our district tournament we were better through the state tournament.”

The Monterey staff and players feel like that they are in a good spot to continue their string of post season success this upcoming season. They know returning to post season play will be no easy task. Coach West and his team are excited to compete in a highly competitive district this season.