Although their seasons didn’t end how many in Steelville would’ve hoped, multiple Cardinals on both the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams were recognized by the coaches in the Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) for their efforts. 

Steelville senior Malakai Bruno was named co-most valuable player of the GVC after tying Belle’s Hank Stratman in votes. Fellow Cardinal seniors Nate Gambill, Hunter Starbeck and Jackson Woods were all named to the all-GVC boys’ team.  

Bruno averaged 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2 steals per game. “He (Bruno) was our best all-around player and controlled every aspect of the game for us,” said Steelville head coach Josh Pritchett.

Gambill, who played through a significant knee injury throughout the season, averaged six points per game.

“He (Gambill) was our best three-point shooter on our team and was guarded as such throughout the season,” Pritchett said.

Starbeck was third on the Cardinals with 7.1 points per game and led Steelville with 6.7 rebounds per game in his first year playing organized basketball since the eighth grade. According to Pritchett, Starbeck led the Cardinals in plus minus and was the team’s most improved player throughout the season.

Woods was Steelville’s leader in scoring and steals, logging 11.1 points and 2.2 steals per game. According to Pritchett, Woods “took a big jump from last year to this year.”

Other players named to the all-GVC boys team were Belle’s Garrett Gehlert, Kooper Elrod and Hank Willis, Cuba’s Cameron Carnal and Braden Gipson and Bourbon’s Dawson King.

On the girls’ side of the GVC selections, Belle’s Anastyn Lansford was named the conference’s most valuable player. Steelville juniors Jazmyn Hurd and Emeri Perkins were named to the All-GVC girls’ team for the second straight year.

Hurd, Steelville’s lead instigator on both sides of the ball, averaged 11.6 points per game while tallying team-high totals of 117 assists, 94 steals and 800 minutes played.

Perkins, the Lady Cardinals’ leading scorer, showcased her ability to put points on the board in a variety of ways throughout her third season. She averaged 15.6 points a game and registered team-high totals of 59 three-pointers, 66 made free throws and 109 deflections on defense. Perkins was also second on the team behind Hurd, with 57 total steals.

Both juniors are expected to be named to the all-district team when it’s announced. The star junior duo will look to help reclaim the Class 4 District 3 title they won in their sophomore season in their final go-around for Steelville, after falling in the district semifinals to eventual champion Dixon this season.

Other players named to the all-GVC girls’ team included Belle’s Aubrey Rehmert and Natalie Lansford and Cuba’s junior trio of Mya Garbo, Jaylen Haffer and Leah Schmidt.