Cheney's season without Stinson

CHENEY - The Blackhawks boys basketball has one big hole to fill as the team prepares for the 2024-25 season - the program's all-time leading scorer.

Evan Stinson, one of the most high-profile Blackhawk recruits in recent history, departed for big-time college basketball.

Stinson originally was set to play at Washington State for then Cougar head coach Kyle Smith but would later change destinations when Smith moved to Stanford.

"Evan is a big loss but his contributions helped in a major way, getting the CHS basketball program headed on the right track and his impact will last forever," head coach Travis Peevey wrote in an email.

It's been a heavy lift for Cheney which enters its fifth GSL basketball season, but one that if the 2023-24 season showed, might be getting less stressful?

This is Peevey's third season leading the Blackhawks. Cheney, with a 3-6 Greater Spokane League record - 9-11 overall - scratched its way into an initial level of the postseason.

"We made it into a district tie breaker after beating a tough University High team in league play," Peevey said. "We played a Kansas City tie breaker to continue on in District 8 playoffs with Mead and Ferris that consisted of a round robin of mini games.

The Blackhawks lost those two matchups by a total of six points. Oe ended in heartbreak after losing in overtime and the other on a buzzer beater.

"We were proud of the guys as we have improved each of the last two seasons," Peevey said.

Cheney success this season will rest on the shoulders of players who are well-immersed and thus familiar with both the program and Peevey.

"We have a big senior class that has been playing together for a long time," Peevey explained. "I started with them as freshman and we are excited to see how far we can go with the work they have put in over the last four years."

The Blackhawks return multiple starters.

"Juleon Horyst (a junior) was a big spark for us down the stretch last year as a sophomore and is ready for a big year," Peevey said.

Senior Grayson Burton will be one of the players to watch for in the GSL, Peevey predicted. "He had some monster games in the absence of Evan Stinson battling injuries."

Liam Carver, another senior, will be a three-year starter and an anchor inside. Carver is also described as a high percentage threat from 3-point range.

Much of how Peevey sees the upcoming season rests on what happened in the off-season. 

"We hit it hard this offseason, spring, summer and fall," Peevey said. "We played more than we ever have and hit the weight room all summer. We finished it up with the fall league at SCC. The boys have put the work in and are ready to go."

If there was one glaring weakness for the 2023-24 Blackhawks that will make this year's edition stronger it is the finish.

"We need to finish games in the fourth quarter," Peevey said.