WyoPreps Class 4A Basketball Preview 2024-25 [VIDEOS]

Both 4A basketball defending state champions lost valuable pieces from last season’s title-winning teams. The Sheridan girls must replace three starters, while the Cheyenne Central boys replace nine seniors and have a new head coach. In place of our typical preseason basketball tour, due to David’s travel schedule, WyoPreps reached out to visit with the defending state champion head coaches to preview the 2024-25 season.

WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CLASS 4A OUTLOOK FOR 2024-25

The Sheridan girls put together a run at the state tournament and captured their seventh title in school history last March. The Broncs finished with a 21-6 record after a 65-56 victory over Campbell County in the championship game. Sheridan will be anchored by returning all-stater Mesa Hanft and senior Averie McMullen.

WyoPreps caught up with Broncs’ head coach Ryan Sullivan to find out what’s going on with Sheridan. Sullivan discussed his team’s preparation for a new season, dealing with being defending champs, how they still are thought of as an underdog, their core returners, and more.

WyoPreps reached out to all 4A girls’ basketball coaches for a preview of the 2024-25 season from their perspective. Not all coaches responded to our survey.

4A Girls Basketball Favorites = Cheyenne East, Campbell County, Sheridan

Other contenders = Cheyenne Central

Top Returning Players = Mesa Hanft, Kaylie Neary, Jade Brown, Kennedy Davila, Izzy Kelly, Cashlynn Haws, Karson Tempel

WyoPreps outlook: the top of 4A girls’ basketball will look similar to last year thanks to talent returning on all three rosters. Campbell County, East, and Sheridan will be the teams to beat. Central looks to take a step forward behind a veteran core. Kelly Walsh returns some key players but lost some key posts. Other teams are rebuilding, lost valuable pieces, and/or have a new head coach. Green River and Star Valley might pull some surprises.

4A Boys Basketball

The Cheyenne Central Indians went 25-3 last season and held off Laramie for their 27th title in school history. The Indians will have to adjust after losing nine seniors to graduation, and Jim Shaffer retired in the off-season. Longtime assistant Randy Filbin steps into the head coaching role. He’s no stranger to the Central program having been an assistant for 17 years. His JV team went 21-0 last season. Can they carry that momentum to the varsity level? Filbin believes they can. WyoPreps spoke to the new head coach about his new role, replacing all the key pieces, how their chemistry can help the transition to the varsity level and more.

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WyoPreps reached out to all 4A boys’ basketball coaches for a preview of the 2024-25 season from their perspective. Not all coaches responded to our survey.

4A Boys Basketball Favorites = Laramie, Thunder Basin, Star Valley, Campbell County

Other contenders = Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne East, Evanston, Natrona County

Top Returning Players = Neil Summers, Jaden Smith, Max Alexander, Gibson Williams, Lane Hladky, Clayton Cook, Cooper Lancaster, Mason Eager

WyoPreps outlook: Laramie enters as the main favorite, and the Plainsmen know it. They’ve lost in the 4A championship in the last two seasons and return four starters and six seniors who have been the core in the last two years. Thunder Basin, Campbell County, and Star Valley all return key players who will lead the charge toward a good season. Schools like Evanston and Natrona bring back players who were part of last year’s core. If they step into bigger roles positively, those two can take a step forward, while teams like Central and East, who lost key multi-year starters, have talent coming up to fill the void left by graduation.