Jasper High School’s boys’ varsity basketball team takes the floor this season with a fresh voice on the sideline and a hungry roster determined to turn close losses into wins in Missouri’s Class 2. After a 6–20 season a year ago, the Eagles now play under new head coach Kevin Gidney, whose early emphasis is on mental toughness, execution, and learning how to finish games.
 
 Gidney inherits a group that lost four seniors but returns a key inside-out duo in senior guard Treyton Ritchart and junior post Gaige Mitchell, both poised for expanded roles. Ritchart enters his third season as a starter after averaging 8.1 points per game along with team-leading marks in assists and steals, giving Jasper a quick, versatile guard who can impact both ends of the floor. His ability to handle the ball, create off the dribble, and pressure opposing guards makes him the engine of the Eagles’ perimeter attack.
 
 Mitchell, meanwhile, is Jasper’s primary interior force after leading the team with 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. At 6-foot-3 with strong footwork and soft hands, he presents a matchup problem on the block and is expected to be one of the stronger low-post threats in the area this year. The offense will frequently run through him in the paint, with the aim of collapsing defenses and creating open looks for shooters on the perimeter.
 
 Surrounding that core, seven returning lettermen give Jasper important depth and continuity. Seniors Carter Smith, Carson Lehman, and Kelton Moll; juniors Tim Sisseck, Trevin Simpson, and Keilin Greene; and sophomore Phinn Manko all bring experience and versatility, allowing Gidney to mix lineups and maintain energy throughout games. Newcomers to watch include Kaden Spicer, Craig Zuber, and Colt Storm, along with senior Quintan Winans, who returns to basketball after a couple of seasons away, and freshmen Dustin Baker and Baylor Rush, both hoping to crack the varsity rotation.
 
 Defensively, the Eagles aim to “impose their will,” placing a premium on getting stops, controlling the boards, and finishing possessions with physicality. Jasper opens the season at the Verona Tip-Off Classic from November 22–26, an early proving ground for a team eager to show that its improved effort, mental toughness, and connected play can translate into a breakthrough year.