Kelso basketball is going to look different this year. It has to.
Shaw Anderson, the 6-foot-6 post who has dominated the league the past three seasons, is now at Seattle Pacific University. Sharpshooting Riley Noah is playing football at Central Washington.
The class before them, which helped shape the Hilanders into state contenders — Kelso earned fifth- and sixth-place trophies the past two seasons — is long gone.
“Obviously there are some pretty big shoes to fill,” 20th-year coach Joe Kinch said. “This is the first group to play without those two classes. A lot has rubbed off on the way they practiced. It’s just matter of finding our way and identity.”
The defense should still be a strong suit, as it often is under Kinch-led squads. Guards Dillon Davis, Wyatt Brown and Josh Webb are all 6-feet or smaller but their work rate is unparalleled. Six-foot-4 post Drew Tack provides some length inside.
