The Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball had a lot of unknowns heading into the start of practices in November. Football season was brutal on the Broncos and the team took some lumps early during the up-and-down season.
    “Instead of being a junior-senior dominant team, we had to start building depth with our sophomores,” WP Head Coach Rod Gaston said. “I was hoping to bring them along at a slower pace, but we only had three players play in every game this year on varsity.”
    The team was led by a group of five seniors on the court — Ben Anderjaska, Tucker Boos, Austen Rozelle, Ty Duvel, Gunner Goings — and George (Cord) Lee off the court.
    Gaston called Anderjaska his team’s energy on the court.
    “He played both ends of the court with the same passion.”
     With five players finishing with over 200 points this season, Anderjaska led the way with 250 points, while also leading the way with 115 assists and 101 steals.
    “He got us into our offenses being the point guard and usually had the leading scorer from the opponent on defense.”
    Boos was the Broncos’ shut down defender.
    “Tucker was one of our hard nosed players,” Gaston said. “He also would guard an opponent’s leading scorer and if there was a loose ball nearby, he would be on the floor going after it.”
    Gaston also credited Boos with some good nights shooting the ball. Boos finished the season averaging just over eight points per game, and finished 12 games with at least 10 points.
    After missing last season with a shoulder injury, Rozelle toughed out this season with a knee injury. Gaston was happy to have him on the floor.
    Austen “was very full of determination to be on the court this year,” Gaston said. “He was one of our rebounding leaders with 115 and saw the court well, being second on the team in assists.”

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