With its top seven scorers returning from this year’s regional semifinalist squad, Lyon County is a program on the rise in the 2nd Region.
The Lyons went 23-10 this season, winning the 5th District championship and knocking out rival Caldwell County 65-59 in the first round of the regional tournament before finally bowing to Webster County 79-67 in the semifinal round.
Lyon had just two seniors and two juniors on its postseason roster.
Meanwhile, most of Lyon’s major contributors were sophomores or younger, meaning the Lyons figure to be major players in the 2nd Region for several years to come.
Eighth grader Travis Perry not only led the 2nd Region in scoring this season at 26.6 points game, he was second in the state. Only Casey County’s Spencer Baird tallied more points a night at 27.9.
Perry, a guard, connected on 37.9 percent of his 3-point attempts this season, going 83 of 219 from long range.
Meanwhile, 6-foot-4 sophomore Jackson Shoulders averaged a double-double this season, giving the Lyons a formidable inside-outside punch.
Shoulders scored 16.2 points a game while grabbing 11.5 boards a contest.
In addition, sophomore guard Gunnar Bingham netted 9.0 points a game while sophomore forward Nick Whalin averaged 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds.
Eighth grader Brady Shoulders came on strong down the stretch and finished averaging 4.0 points a game. The younger Shoulders adds another 3-point threat out front after making 35.6 percent of his trey attempts this year.
Another eighth grade guard, Jack Reddick, figures to only get better.
Junior Trey Hawkins scored 3.0 points a game this season and could see more action next season as well.
With youngsters filling several key spots this season, the Lyons endured the typical ups and downs, going 3-6 over one mid-season stretch.
However, Lyon rebounded by going 13-1 before ending the season in the regional semifinals. That one loss (prior to the Webster setback) came to Calloway County in a game that Perry sat out with an ankle injury.
With one of the state’s leading scorers and an improving group of talented youngsters, Lyon County will be in the conversation for 2nd Region contenders next season.
