For Shawnee's Josh Borrelli, the mission is to win

It seems like yesterday when Josh Borrelli was a skinny freshman with a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

And for making the most of those circumstances.

"It seems like it just flew by," said Borrelli, a senior guard for Shawnee.

Borrelli won a pair of games in January of his freshman season with three-point shots in the final seconds - including an overtime dagger that upset then-No. 1 Cherokee.

The 6-foot-1 athlete made his share of plays as a sophomore and junior, too. He was second on the team in scoring last season and is off to a strong start as a senior, averaging 22.5 points as Shawnee has opened the season with a 2-0 record.

Now one of nine seniors who are determined to bring Shawnee back to statewide prominence, Borrelli said he senses the urgency of his final season in a Renegades uniform.

"Shawnee has such a great tradition," Borrelli said. "I grew up watching them play, and to be a part of it for four years, it means so much to me.

"We've got nine seniors this year, and we all feel the same way. We want to bring a state title back to Shawnee."

Borrelli said he weighed around 145 pounds as a freshman. He's up to 175 now.

He's grown in other ways as well, improving his ballhandling, passing, and understanding of Shawnee's style of basketball.

"He's the hardest-working kid out here," Shawnee coach Joe Kessler said at a recent practice. "He goes 100 percent every practice. He's been a great player for us, and he's a great kid, too."