La Plata's Mens Basketball Coach to be inducted in the MBCA Hall of Fame

Greg Buescher a member of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2020.

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Missouri Basketball Coaches Association

It is time again for the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) to celebrate the

basketball season!

Due to our global situation right now, the Awards Celebration Banquet will not be held, and

award winners will have their awards delivered to them.

The MBCA Hall of Fame Induction will be postponed and will now be held at the Doubletree

Hotel in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm.

Once again, the MBCA is proud to present the Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2020, and our

annual awards showcasing the top players and coaches throughout Missouri.

MBCA Hall of Fame Inductees

The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association is proud to release their 2020 Hall of Fame class

to be inducted at a ceremony on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm. The induction

ceremony will take place at the Double Tree Hotel in Springfield, Missouri. Tickets for the

event may be purchased from the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association for $25 at the

door or through a board member. Tables may also be purchased at a discounted cost. The

Hall of Fame banquet will open at 12:00 pm and lunch will be served at 1:00 with the

ceremony to follow.

Inductees include (alphabetically):

Jeff Bowland

Coach Jeff Bowland left his mark on high school basketball in the state of Missouri. Capturing

well over 600 wins while coaching on both the girls and boys side, Coach Bowland knew how to

find a way to win. His tenure from 1981-2013 at Pattonsburg was filled with multiple honors,

including several tournament titles, six District Championships, one Final Four trip and coaching

multiple All-State players. He also coached football, track and softball. Pattonsburg High School

has also recognized Coach Bowland’s contributions to their basketball programs and community

by naming the basketball court after him. Lee Warford states, “Coach Bowland was a fine coach

and athletic director, and an even better person I am honored to have known.”

Greg Buescher

On December 10, 2019 Coach Greg Buescher hit a rare milestone in the career of coaching by

capturing his 500th victory. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Coach Buescher

knew he wanted to be an educator and coach. Starting out in 1990 as the Head Boys’ Basketball

coach at Griggsville-Perry School district in Illinois, Coach Buescher was well on his way to a

stellar coaching career. After a three-year stint there, he then moved on for two years at Clark

County School District, two years at Moberly, then with stops at Glasgow, Southeastern, Trenton,

Sturgeon, Mexico and is currently the La Plata R-II Head Basketball Coach. In 2010, his team

from Sturgeon won the Class 2 Boys State Championship finishing 32-0, and he was named the

Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Coach of Year, along with being named the National

Federation’s Missouri Coach of the Year. Coach Chris Miller states, “Besides his record, his

dedication to the sport of basketball, to his teams, his former assistants (such as me), and most

importantly to his current and former players make him an excellent candidate for this honor.”

Steve Combs

Coach Steve Combs has coached for over 20 years and knows how to find a way to win. Combs

started his coaching career at Moberly for three years as an assistant. He then moved on as head

coach for two years at Louisiana and then 18 years in Harrisburg. During his time, Combs has

earned nine district titles, and delivered six Final Four appearances, two resulting in State

Championships, one 2nd place finish, two 3rd place finishes and one 4th place finish. He has

coached 11 All-State players and has also been named the Missouri Basketball Coaches

Association Class 2 Coach of the Year twice. “It is an honor to nominate this fine coach.” Kyle

Fisher states.

Nancy Fahey
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, Coach Nancy Fahey had already amassed an

incredible record of 756 wins and only 175 losses, an astounding 81.2% winning percentage.

Coach Fahey is an honored member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and she is currently

the coach at the University of Illinois and has been for three years. Before her time there, she

spent 31 years at Washington University in St. Louis. During that time, she accumulated an

incredible 23 conference titles, 29 NCAA Division II tournaments appearances, and five, yes that

is correct, FIVE National Championships. Her teams held an 81-game winning streak from 1997

through 2001. She reached 600 wins after coaching in 706 games. She is 6th on the all-time

NCAA active coaches winning percentage. She has coached 20 All-Americans and 10 Academic

All-Americans. She is in the Washington University Hall of Fame, the St. Louis area Hall of Fame,

and in 2014 was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. She has also worked with USA

Basketball and is on the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors. She was a Missouri

Basketball Coaches Association clinic speaker in 2019. Coach Jeni Hopkins states, “Coach Fahey

has been a role model and mentor to several coaches in the Midwest and not only knows how to

win, but how to win championships. Her players love playing for her.”




Duane Hiler
Coach Duane Hiler has been coaching for over 20 years and has recorded an impressive 77%

winning percentage. With three years at Mansfield, six at Hollister, and has just finishing his 12th

year at Mountain Grove, Coach Hiler has found a way to bring victories to his programs. Hiler has

won 13 district titles and taken five trips to the Final Four. He has brought home the 4th place

trophy, two 3rd place trophies, one runner-up trophy, and in 1999, won a State Championship at

Hollister while also being named the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.
Coach Darren Taylor shares, “Coach Hiler is one of the best in the game and has excellent

strategy skills. He is a Hall of Famer.”

Gary Koch

With more than 600 wins, Coach Gary Koch, has proven time and time again that he produces on

the basketball court. Coach Koch has had coaching stops at Jefferson College (as an assistant),

and as a head coach at the following Missouri high schools: Ste. Genevieve, Valle Catholic, St.

Pius X, Festus, and Pacific. He is the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Mineral Area College

and has been for 14 years. During this time his teams have won two Regional Championships

and three Conference Championships. He has also coached nine All-Americans and 22 Academic

All-Americans. His team has been ranked as high as 9th in the nation. Coach Shawn Erickson

expands, “Coach Koch has dedicated over 40 years of his life growing the game of basketball in

the state of Missouri. His passion for teaching the game the right way and caring about teaching

his players to become good citizens will leave lasting impressions on the players and coaches he

has worked with over his career.”

Gerry Marlin
Coach Jerry Marlin started out as an assistant coach in Gainesville Florida, and then moved to

Louisiana as an assistant and eventually became a head coach. He moved to the Kansas City area

as the head coach of Ruskin High School and is now at North Kansas City. He just completed his

34th year as a head coach. His Missouri teams have won six conference titles, three district titles,

and a State Championship at Ruskin high school in 2007. In 2013 Coach Marlin won his 500th

game and was presented the key to the city by Kansas City mayor Sly James and the City Council.

As of this season, 2019-2020, Coach Marlin earned his 600th win. His current win total stands at

609. He has received multiple Coach of the Year awards including the Missouri Basketball

Coaches Association Richard Fairchild Award, the Paul Lambert Award, Kansas City Star Coach of

the Year, Metro Sports Coach of the Year, and several Suburban Conference Coach of the Year

Awards. He has mentored several coaches and has even molded several former players into

excellent coaches, including his assistants Matt Ramsey and Deron Hill. “Coach Marlin is a class

act that knows the game extremely well.” Coach Bill Gunn states.

Pete McBride
Coach Pete McBride had a tremendous career coaching basketball grabbing 399 career wins and

two state championships in 2013 and 2018. He was named the Missouri Basketball Coach of the

Year for Class 1 in 2013 and 2018. He was the National Federation Midwest Coach of the Year in

2018. In his career at Eminence, he won ten district championships, eight conference titles, and

was named Coach of the Year in his conference eight times. He has coached six All-State athletes

and one Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year, his son, Trent McBride.

Coach Darren Taylor speaks highly of Coach McBride, “He has had an excellent career at

Eminence and is a great coach.”

Todd Shannon
Talk about dedication! 25 years out of 26 coaching, Todd Shannon poured his heart and soul into

the program at Wellington-Napoleon High School. Netting 466 wins with a 68% winning

percentage Coach Shannon shined on the sideline. His teams made the state play offs eleven

times, with two Final Four trips. In 2011 and 2016, Coach Shannon’s teams finished 3rd in the

state. He also won nine conference championships and coached seven All-State players. He was

named the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association District Coach of the Year 11 times, KMSU

Dream Team Coach of the Year six times, and in 2011 the Missouri Basketball Coaches

Association Coach of the Year. He has also represented his region on the Missouri State High

School Activities Association advisory committee for basketball. Coach Andy Hampton

enthusiastically states, “Coach Shannon has devoted his life to Wellington-Napoleon High School

and to Tiger Basketball. He has an outstanding record and has accomplished so much.”

Steve Shepherd
Coach Steve Shepherd has proven that he can be successful at any level in basketball. He has

won over 370 games. As the girls’ basketball coach at Marionville High School he amassed a 141

and 31 record guiding the Comets to a state championship in 1991. They also won the coveted

Pink and White Championship an incredible three times. Shepherd served as the boys coach at

Aurora for three years winning two conference championships. He then went to Parkview High

School as the boys’ basketball coach and served as an assistant at Evangel University (where in

2002 they won the NAIA National Championship), before becoming the Head Men's Basketball

Coach at College of the Ozarks in 2002. In 2006, the Bobcats won the NAIA National

Championship. Coach Shepherd was named NAIA National Coach of the Year. He has been to the

NAIA Final Four three times, won 14 conference titles, and coached 14 All- American players. He

has also coached 16 NAIA Scholar Athletes. In 2015, he was named the College of the Ozarks

Athletic Director, along with his coaching duties. He was named A.I.I. Athletic Director of the Year

for 2016-2017. He has had multiple Coach of the Year honors and continues to produce wins,

successful athletes, and successful people from his program. Coach Denny Hunt shares, “Coach

Shepherd is an athletic, personal, and spiritual role model for his players. He does things the

right way, all of the time.”

Gary Filbert Lifetime Achievement Award

The highest honor given by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association; the Gary Filbert

Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented this year to Coach Cheryl Burnett. This award

will be presented during the Hall of Fame Inductions on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm at the Double Tree Hotel in Springfield, Missouri.

Coach Cheryl Burnett

Coach Cheryl Burnett is best known in the sports world for her wildly successful, 15-year

career at Missouri State University as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach. During her

tenure as head coach, the Lady Bears reached the NCAA Tournament 11 times and in 1992 and

2001 made it to the NCAA Division I Final Four. Her teams also won seven regular season

conference titles, five league tournament titles, and played in the 2002 Women’s National

Invitational Tournament. Coach Burnett has received multiple Coach of the Year Awards,

been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame, and in 2015 was named a Sports Legend by the

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Coach Burnett graduated, where she played, from the University of Kansas in 1980 and had

an opportunity to play overseas, but the coaching profession was calling. After a stint on the

University of Illinois staff, Coach Burnett started at Missouri State University (then Southwest

Missouri State University) as an assistant coach for Valerie Goodwin-Colbert and was hooked

from day one. After taking over the program in 1987, Coach Burnett worked diligently to

increase the production of her team, and the commitment from the community. Her first

season averaged around 900 in the stands and during the 1992 season, the Lady Bears led

the nation in attendance averaging close to 8,500 energetic fans.

Coach Burnett has been known to mentor multiple coaches throughout the country. After

her time at Missouri State, she spent four seasons at the University of Michigan before

retiring and settling in the Springfield, Missouri area.

Awards

MBCA Academic All-State

The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) is very proud to select and present the

Academic All-State basketball teams each school year. The MBCA honors these top scholar

athletes typically at our annual celebration banquet. This year, awards will be delivered.
Here is complete list of award winners and criteria:
https://www.mobca.org/page/show/714322-academic-all-state


Ryan Shaw, National High School Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year

(Missouri)

Boys: Chris Nimmo (Warrensburg)
Girls: Keri Nichols (Springfield Parkview)




Richard Fairchild Coach of the Year Awards

BOYS

CLASS 1 Rick Luna (Dora)


CLASS 2 Brett Reed (Hartville)

CLASS 3 Ryan Johnson (Cardinal Ritter) and Danny Farmer (Charleston)

CLASS 4 Joe Rothweiler (Helias), Joe Unterreiner (Cape Girardeau Notre
Dame), Tony Irons (Vashon), and Aaron Ihms (Raytown South)

CLASS 5 Justin Tatum (CBC), Chris Neff (Staley), Frank Bennett
(Chaminade), and Mitch McHenry (Kickapoo)



GIRLS

CLASS 1 Rory Henry (Walnut Grove)

CLASS 2 Cori Elms (East Buchanan)

CLASS 3 Dustin Larsen (Strafford)

CLASS 4 Brad Shorter (Carl Junction), Kirk Boeller (Cape Girardeau
Notre Dame), Dan Rolfes (Incarnate Word Academy), and
Jeff Atkins (Lincoln Prep Academy)
CLASS 5 Chantell Polk (Hazelwood Central), Monica Tritz (Kirkwood),
Mark Spigarelli (Blue Springs), and Jill Nagel (Rock Bridge)

MBCA Missouri Player of the Year Awards
BOYS

CLASS 1 Isaac Haney (Dora)

CLASS 2 Aminu Mohammed (Greenwood Laboratory School)

CLASS 3 Stevie Strong (University Academy Charter)

CLASS 4 Cam’Ron Fletcher (Vashon)

CLASS 5 Caleb Love (CBC)

GIRLS

CLASS 1 Brooke Littrell (Green City) and Faith Gilkey (Walnut Grove)

CLASS 2 Abby Backes (Tipton)

CLASS 3 Serena Sundell (Maryville)

CLASS 4 Katie Scott (Carl Junction)

CLASS 5 Priscilla Williams (Branson)

Kevin “Cub” Martin Assistant Coach Award
Mike Shanfeld (Parkway South)

Curtis Kerr Memorial Student Assistant of the Year
Laiken Cash (Farmington)

Gary Filbert Scholarship Award Winner
Quincy Erickson (Hermann)

Mr. & Miss Show-Me Basketball

Mr. & Miss Show-Me Basketball is our highest player honor. These selections include a

criterion of the following: A senior player that exhibits exceptional talent and skill in the


game of basketball, along with strong character.
After review of nominations and finalists:


Miss Show-Me Basketball:
Katie Scott (Carl Junction)

Mr. Show-Me Basketball:
Caleb Love (CBC)