ANDOVER, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Andover boys basketball is 6-0 on the season and ranked second in class 5A, winning every game by double digits. Junior Eli Shetlar has helped lead the Trojans to its undefeated start.

“We really have a whole new team since last year, we got all new guys and only one returning starter,” Eli said. “It’s a new personality, a new team and we are looking to compete for a state championship and just get better.”

After a 19-3 season ended with a loss to Bishop Carroll to go to the state tournament last year, the Trojans lost the core of that talent to graduation.

“These guys have really stepped up, we have had some guys that didn’t play a lot of varsity last year that stepped up and are playing really well,” Andover Head Coach Martin Shetlar said. “We have a lot of talented kids that are playing together well, and we are an unselfish team that tries to make others around them better. They are about winning and not about themselves.”

Eli is averaging 21 points a game.

“I just wanted to help our team win, I wanted to get our teammates involved early and get the first five games out of the way,” Eli said. “We ended up winning all five. I just find my open shots and do what is best for our team to win.”

For Andover, last year’s season-ending loss in the playoffs serves as motivation to advance to the state tournament this season.

“They saw how hard that other group worked then had a let down at the end of the year,” Shetlar said. They got to see that and don’t want that to happen to them, so they are working hard and it’s a great learning experience for these guys.”

Rising Star: Andover’s Eli Shetlar