After being denied the opportunity to chase a state title by the spread of COVID-19, the two-time defending 2nd Region champions Madisonville-North Hopkins will bear little resemblance to last season’s squad that ended the year on a 20-game winning run and a 31-3 record. In addition to the loss of nine seniors, head coach Matt Beshear moved on after eight years on the sideline. Beshear, the 2020 2nd-Region Coach of the Year, posted a record of 167-81 and won the 7th-District title every season.
The Maroons’ top three scorers have all moved on to the college ranks, led by Ksuan Casey and Kenny White. Casey led the team with 18.5 points and over 10 rebounds per game, followed by White with 18.4 points and 8 rebounds per outing. Deljuan Johnson was third in both categories, with averages of just over 11 points and 4.2 rebounds. Guards Keyshawn Stone and Marquise Parker leave a hole in the backcourt, with averages of over 7 points and almost 3 rebounds each.
Former Webster County coach Jon Newton takes over on the sidelines after nine years in Dixon, where he compiled a 186-93 record and finished 2nd-Region runner-up twice. Newton’s most experienced returning player is senior Zack Tow, who averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds a season ago. At 6’5”, Tow spent most of his time in the paint or on the wing but is expected to play on the perimeter as well after connecting on 26/79 3-point attempts as a junior. Junior Danye Frazier came off the bench last season and has the most backcourt experience for the Maroons.
Madisonville will get a major boost from a transfer from within the 2nd Region, with former Union County standout Kale Gaither joining the Maroons for his senior season. Gaither racked up over 1,500 points as a three-year starter for the Braves and will be a go-to scorer and provide leadership for the young Maroons.
Another transfer will provide help down low, with Brytton Walker returning to Madisonville from Warren East. The 6’8” Walker put up 3.4 points and just under 2 rebounds as a sophomore last season and provides size in the paint few region teams can match.
Senior guard Isaac Parish can play inside or out and will provide leadership, while junior guard Landon Cline is seen as the Maroons’ best pure shooter. Senior Alaric Dulin and sophomores LuJuan McAdoo and Destin Cheirs can contribute toughness and athleticism and give the team a different look coming off the bench.
Newton and the young Maroons won’t have an opportunity to ease into the new season, with a trip to Hopkinsville on January 5 followed by district matchups with Caldwell County and Hopkins County Central coming over the next ten days. A late-February meeting with Murray High at the Marshall County Hoopfest is another highlight, before traveling to Butler County for a matchup with Edmonson County in a delayed Hebrews 12 Coffee Christmas Classic.
