ROGERS — Rogers Heritage boys basketball coach Tom Olsen likes the way this year’s War Eagles play together, but the chemistry between three particular players stands out.
The threesome of seniors Crist Olsen and Wyatt Kinnamon, along with junior Connor Hirsh give the War Eagles a strong, balanced offensive arsenal. They each average in double figures, but score in different ways, Olsen said.
“They are all three very unselfish players,” Olsen said. “But while Waytt is more of a combo or penetrating guard, Crist gives you some long-range stuff. Connor gives you more of a slasher and some low post play. Those three together give you a pretty good offensive package.”
Heritage (3-1) bounced back from a tough season-opening loss 42-40 at Subiaco Academy at the buzzer to reel off three consecutive wins. The latest, a 62-59 win over Seneca, Mo., in the semifinals of the 67th annual Carthage (Mo.) Invitational, was a tough one.
The War Eagles trailed almost the entire game, but made plays late to rally for the victory. Several different players came up big, but it’s not accident that Hirsh and Olsen were keys.
The 6-foot-2 Hirsh poured in a game-high 21 points, including a basket in the final minute that gave Heritage the lead for good. Olsen added 14, despite having an off night shooting the ball.
Hirsh ranks second on the team in scoring, but leads the team in rebounding and also in steals. Coach Olsen pointed out Hirsh’s ability to anticipate shows up huge since he is not usually an on-ball defender, but averages more than four steals per game.
“Basketball coaches for years and years I know have said a kid has a nose for the ball,” Olsen said. “Well, Connor is the dictionary definition for ‘nose for the ball.’
“He gives us great opportunities on loose balls and he has great energy.”
An additional year of physical maturity has helped all three improve their game, but it’s also been important for Hirsh to help him get more comfortable in the Heritage system.
Hirsh moved to Rogers from Fort Smith prior to his sophomore year, but that’s far from the case for Olsen and Kinnamon. The senior guard tandem has played together since second grade.
Both agreed that familiarity and the confidence they have in each are a huge help on the basketball court.
CRIST OLSEN
School: Rogers Heritage
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 145
Class: Senior
Notable: Leads team in scoring this year at 15 points per game, after leading War Eagles last year at just under 10 points a game. …. Two-year starter.
CONNOR HIRSH
School: Rogers Heritage
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 187
Class: Junior
Notable: Leads team in rebounds and steals this season, while averaging 13 points per game … Gave the War Eagles a lift off the bench much of his sophomore season.
WYATT KINNAMON
School: Rogers Heritage
Height: 5-10
Weight: 157
Class: Senior
Notable: Leads War Eagles in assists this season and averages 10 points per game.
“We just have really good chemistry,” Crist Olsen said. “We know where each other are on the court at all times. We don’t have to tell each other. We just kinda know.
“We know we’re going to keep fighting, keep our heads up and I think the team notices that. We try to set an example as seniors.”
Crist (6-1) made it a specific point to get physically stronger in the offseason and that’s paid dividends already this season in a more well-rounded game.
He was mainly a one-dimensional 3-point shooter as a sophomore, but struggled to expand his game last season because of a lack of strength, coach Olsen said. This year is a very different story.
“He’s had more success scoring around the basket and added strength is the key there,” he said. “Putting on that 10 or 12 pounds has helped him stay balanced in there.”
Crist’s 2-point field goal percentage shows his improvement. He made just 22 of 67 (33 percent) from 2-point range in 28 games all of last season, but has already made 17 of 29 (59 percent) this season.
Kinnamon showed he was ready to step the forefront late last season, the coach said. But he’s also improved his mid-range game offensively.
“He’s really matured as a guy who was kinda in the background last year, but really played well the last five or six games,” Olsen said. “He can get by a defender and pull-up and made that mid-range shot. It’s something that’s allowed him to go from averaging about six points a game to about 10 this year.”
Hirsh said this year’s War Eagles are a close-knit group with solid senior leadership, which makes a different on the floor.
“We’re getting some big contributions from some sophomores,” Hirsh said. “We all just want to win. We don’t care who makes the plays.”
Olsen, one of four seniors on the club, said this year’s team wants to be the first to in school history to qualify for the state tournament. Heritage started strong a year ago, but did not win a game after Christmas and finished 9-17.
“We’re playing as a team,” Crist said. “We’re fighting. I really like that about us. We need to get it done this year. We want to be that team that others look up to.”
The play of Olsen, Hirsh and Kinnamon could go a long way to getting the War Eagles into the postseason.