The Keota Eagles are coming off another excellent boys’ basketball campaign last year, winning 20 or more games for the third time in four seasons and going 14-2 in conference play to win their division of the South Iowa Cedar League while finishing 21-4 overall. Head coach Dan Stout brings back most of the talent that made that run possible and is looking for an equally impressive encore as a new season begins later this month.

Among the stars returning for Keota is all-conference senior guard Sawyer Stout, who poured in a team-high 18 points per game last season and hit 41 percent of his shot attempts. All-around point guard Cole Kindred also returns for his final season after averaging almost 12-and-a-half points, 3.5 rebounds, five assists and two steals per contest in his junior year.

Six-foot-three-inch forward Evan Vittetoe makes up a trio of returning seniors who averaged double-figure scoring, putting up nearly 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and two blocked shots a game last season. Junior Billie Kindred is another well-rounded returning player who posted a triple-double in a game last season and averaged almost seven points, eight rebounds and three assists a night.

Seniors Aiden McGuire, Conner Strand, Ashton Thomas, Tanner Waterhouse and Chase Sieren will all play bigger roles for the Eagles this season as well. Keota begins a new boys’ basketball season November 27th in a road game against Louisa-Muscatine.