By Cody Morris, Tailgate TV
The Rich Hill Tigers boys basketball program has been a model of consistency in Missouri over the past five years. The Tigers’ last sub-.500 season came in 2020, and over the last three seasons they have compiled an impressive 66–18 record, firmly establishing themselves as one of the state’s most reliable Class 1 programs.
Entering this winter, however, there were questions. Over the past few seasons, Rich Hill graduated a number of talented players, several of whom are continuing their careers at the collegiate level. With that experience gone, skeptics wondered if this would be the year the Tigers finally lost some steam. Those doubts have yet to slow the program’s familiar intensity, as the Tigers continue to play with zeal on the hardwood and show that the standard remains unchanged.
Just last month, right before the holiday break, the Tigers entered the Midway Tournament as the No. 4 seed. Rich Hill duked it out with a very good Miami team in the opening round, pushing the Eagles to the limit and forcing an overtime period. The Tigers would fall just short in the extra frame, suffering a narrow 43–40 defeat at the hands of Miami. Rich Hill responded well in its next two matchups, bouncing back with a 54–40 win over Northeast Vernon County before closing the tournament with a 49–37 victory against Midway in the consolation game.
Rich Hill now sits at a very respectable 5–3 on the season as it prepares for a favorable stretch on the schedule. The Tigers are set to take on a Liberal team that has struggled to a one-win record, followed by a Sheldon squad sitting at 3–7, before facing a 5–3 Lockwood program. The upcoming slate presents an opportunity for Rich Hill to build momentum and confidence before entering the Appleton City Tournament in mid-January, where postseason positioning and rhythm often begin to take shape.
While early questions surrounded the program, Rich Hill has shown that it remains firmly in the conversation. The Tigers may feature new faces, but the results and resolve look familiar. As the season progresses, Rich Hill appears poised once again to be a factor in Missouri Class 1 basketball.
