NEOSHO — One of the top returning players in the COC Large, Neosho 2018 Brady Wise is gearing up for a big senior season after helping the Wildcats go 14-13 a year ago.
Wise played in all 27 games last season and averaged 7.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He shot 50 percent from the field and has taken his game to new heights during the offseason.
“This year I’ve turned into an all-around guy on offense,” Wise said. “Last year I was a strong defensive guy. I shot a lot this summer. I’ve been shooting a lot on games. Now I am looking to score more for my team.”
An athletic guard that can get to the bucket, Wise says he is looking forward to a larger role in the Neosho offense this year.
“That lead scoring role is going to be a challenge,” Wise said. “I averaged about 20 this summer. That’s just something I had to do because we lost a bunch of seniors. It’s a lot of pressure. The team needs me more than ever before, and I have to step up this year. The summer really let me know what to expect.”
Neosho will be replacing seniors Johnson, Murphy, Scott, Siler and Banks, five of the team’s top six scorers.
“This season will be a different year,” Wise said. “I think I will be a more complete player. I played a role last year, and now I will have more freedom to move. I expect us to have a good year. Some new faces in new roles. We have to play hard and try to have fun.”
Wise said former Neosho head coach Jason Horn has had the biggest impact on his basketball career to date. Horn has since moved on to be the head coach at Webb City, but Wise says the two used to work out together and formed a close bond.
“He used to work out with me with sixth grade until I was a sophomore,” Wise said. “He had to transfer schools, but he was important to me. He helped me cover a lot of ground in that time. His name was Coach Horne. He coaches in Webb City.”
A fan of NBA guard Derrick Rose, Wise says he is working on his ball handling and all-around guard skills.
“I’m just trying to get quicker with my hands,” he says. “I want to be able to attack the basket at any time and make plays with my dribble. I can play without the ball well. I am working on doing both now.”
