Sophomore Rex Blue is the top returning scorer for the Panthers in 2022-23.
A youth movement is underway in Dawson Springs as the Panthers look to replace four of their top six scorers from a year ago.
Among the graduated are Dilyn Skinner and Rett Nieters, who averaged 12.6 and 11.7 points a game last season to lead Dawson. Nieters was also the leading rebounder at 8.7 a contest, leaving a big hole in the middle.
However, sophomore guards Rex Blue and Montgomery Johnston are poised to take over leadership roles.
Blue, the son of head coach Mickey Blue, scored 8.4 points a game as a freshman last season. He also displayed a nose for the basketball, finishing second on the team in rebounding with 7.6 boards a contest. Blue topped the squad in 3-pointers with 41 made baskets from beyond the arc — connecting at a 38 percent clip.
Meanwhile, Johnston averaged 7.7 points and had the second most 3s on the team with 29, shooting 30.5 percent from long range.
Freshman Jaydon Plunkette figures to take on a larger role on this year’s team as well. Plunkette got into 20 varsity games as an eighth grader last year and shot 35.7 percent from 3-point land.
With a team low on varsity experience, Dawson Springs will need some other players to step up and grab key spots on the team.
It’s always an uphill battle for one of western Kentucky’s smallest schools, and the Panthers went just 3-27 last season.
Still, the head coach thinks his team will be a surprise this season.
Mickey Blue says the Panthers will “focus on getting better and be patient. The future looks bright as long as they stay focused on the task of getting better.”
Dawson Springs will open the season on Monday, Nov. 28, with a trip to Webster County. The Panthers will play their home opener the next night against Christian Fellowship School.
With both the 7th District and the 2nd Region looking strong overall this season, the Panthers will have their work cut out for them to carve out wins in the 2022-23 season. But Dawson Springs appears to be on the right path to success. And as the Panthers’ youngsters gain more experience, the more successful they will become.
