The Higbee boys are loaded and prepared to make a run into the postseason this year.

Head coach Tanner Burton returns a solid starting five, including one of the premier Class 1 players in the state, Derek Rockett. The senior has amassed 1,834 points in just three years and will likely surpass the 2,000-point milestone in the first half of his senior campaign.

The Tigers dominated mid-Missouri Class 1 a year ago with a record of 24-5, their second 20-plus-win season in a row.

In 2021, when the seniors were freshmen, Higbee made a run to the final four that ended with losses to St. Elizabeth and South Iron, which has now won three straight Class 1 state titles.

“The last few years, we lost the district title game,” Burton said. “I think this will be the best offensive team I’ve coached. The guys who held small roles this year are really going to step up and be big-time contributors. We’ve got depth that we didn’t have. We’ve got a pretty solid freshman class.”

One of those role players who is primed to make a splash this year is 6-foot sophomore Danny Janssen.

Burton said Janssen reminds a lot of Keaton Rediffer, who was a key player during Higbee’s state tournament run four years ago.

“He went from a role player to a kid who’s going to make some noise, and people will know his name by January,” Burton said.

Another role player stepping up this year is 6-foot sophomore Celton Crawford. Burton said he’s aggressive and saw some quality minutes during summer play against Class 3, 4, and 5 schools. “He really showed he can compete with those bigger kids at a high level and block out on the glass.”

But even as good as those young role players are, they will still be a supporting cast to seniors Rockett and 6’3 senior Will Spilman.

Rockett is a force in Class 1 Missouri basketball, with unbelievable numbers. He scored 869 points last season and is the 28th-highest all-time MSHAA scorer in just three seasons. He blew past 1,000 career points as a sophomore and is closing in on 2,000.

“I think 2,000 will happen pretty quick. It’ll be a lot of fun,” Burton said.

Rockett’s importance cannot be overstated. He averaged 30 points per game last season and finished shooting 74 percent from the free-throw line and 30 percent from the arc. As a junior, he recorded 15 double-doubles and three triple-doubles.

Not to be overlooked, fellow senior and All-District player Will Spilman. As a junior, he averaged 9.9 points a game and shot 31 percent from the 3-point line.

The 6’3 senior balances out Higbee’s scoring and is a solid 3-point threat.

Another crucial returner is 6’3 senior Jaxson Hudson, who averaged a double-double last season with 13.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a game. He finished with 14 double-doubles a season ago and shot 58 percent from the field.

“We’re going to do some different things this year with Will and Jaxson to increase the way they get action,” Burton said. “And Danny and Celton compliment them well.

“I don’t know if any Class 1 team is going to be able to man up on us unless they’re an elite team. So, I think we’re going to see a lot of zone. We’ve got to be prepared for that.

Higbee received the honor of an invitation to play at the Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou Arena on Thursday, Dec. 7 at noon. The Tigers will take on North Shelby, Norm Stewart’s hometown.

The experience of playing on such a large stage could help Higbee in the postseason. If they are able to escape their new district, they have a good chance of making the state tournament. And the state semifinals and finals will be played at Mizzou Arena.

The Norm Stewart Classic is one of several neutral-site games on Higbee’s schedule this year. Like many small-class teams, the Tigers like to “play up” against better and larger schools. One of those games will be at Moberly Area Community College on Dec. 30 against a St. Elizabeth team that has made five straight state semifinal appearances.

On Feb. 2, the Tigers will take on Milan at the Ramey Shootout in Harrisburg. The Wildcats won a district tournament last year as a Class 3 team.

“It gives our kids exposure that no one else is getting,” Burton said about the neutral-site games.

Playing harder competition is ultimately all about priming the team for the postseason. Higbee learned when the class and district assignments were released on Friday that they will compete in Class 1 District 10. Of the seven teams in the district, only Higbee had a winning record last year.

The Tigers opened the season Tuesday night at Southwest Livingston after the Advertiser went to press. Next week, they enter the Mendon Tournament as the second seed. They will face seventh-seeded Linn County at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Higbee hosts Bevier on Dec. 11 for the home opener. The Tigers have won the last six matchups against the Wildcats, dating back to 2019.