This season, the De Soto High School boys’ basketball team went 17-5 overall and finished the Frontier League in second place with a 10-2 mark. Although they fell in the Sub-State semifinals, the Wildcats showed great potential in their abilities and beat some tough competitors.

“Definitely the best season by far,” head coach Matt Rice said. DHS was competed with some of the state’s top 4A schools at the Sub-State tournament. These competitors include the back-to-back State champions from Sumner Academy, who edged DHS by only two points (56-54).

“We were just a fingertip away from winning and going to the next round,” Rice said.

The final game against Sumner was full of much emotion and tension. “It’s the best game I’ve ever been a part of, despite the loss,” Rice said.

The varsity team had a lot of memorable wins, one in particular being the win to Ottawa by 16 points. Ottawa, is considered by many, to be one of the best teams in the State and was undefeated until DHS beat them in the regular season.

The Blue Valley Southwest championship game at the Tonganoxie tournament was also memorable.

Rice thought that the boys competed very well at the Sub-State tournament, and although they may not have won, the boys team surely proved to Sumner that they could compete. Rice thought they controlled the game and if given the opportunity to play them again, they could beat them.

“I’m very proud of the guys, and especially the seniors. They’ve set a high bar for our future Wildcat basketball players,” Rice said.