Childs, Goodrich and Cast are Stout
Mario Goodrich and the Titans look to the city - and state's - best. (Photo: Darryl Woods, 810 Varsity)
A big year should await Lee's Summit West this year. Perhaps all the way to the state title.
The Titans are loaded for the upcoming season, experienced after a 19-8 campaign last year. With nearly everyone returning, the bar is raised ahead.
So far, Lee's Summit West has lived up to the billing, winning a stacked tourney in Fayetteville (Ark.) with top teams from Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Leading the way is 6-foot-8 senior forward Elijah Childs, who is already committed to Bradley. Childs averaged 19 ppg and 12 rebounds en route to being sleected all-conference and all-state in 2016-17, and is an all-810 Varsity first team preseason pick.
"Elijah's a versatile player on the offense end, and tough rebounder and shot blocker in the paint," touted head coach Michael Schieber.
Joining him up front is Christian Bishop, a 6-foot-7 junior forward. "He's a really long player with a big upside," Schieber said of the wing, with Division I offers already.
Also with Division I offers in basketball and football is Mario Goodrich, a 6-foot-2 junior guard who posted 15 ppg and was an all-conference selection, and has started each year at Lee's Summit West.
"Mario's a lightning quick guard who loves to play defense for 94 feet," Schieber said.
Another three-year starting running mate is junior guard Phillip Brooks, who averages 10 ppg. "He's a tough-nosed kid and very athletic. He loves taking on the other team's best guard, yet is one of our team's best shooters."
In addition to the tough Fayetteville tourney, West will face Blue Valley Northwest in the HyVee Shootout, and perennial state power CBC in the Best of the Midwest Showcase on January 14 at Johnson County Community College.
"We are a very athletic team who needs to use our athleticism to our advantage," Schieber said. "We have the ability to create some difficult matchups with the length that we will have this year."
