— NEOSHO COUNTY CC ATHLETICS RELEASE —
Chanute, KS (GoNeosho.com) – Neosho County men’s basketball Head Coach, Taylor Shaffer, announced two changes to his coaching staff for the upcoming 24-25 season. The Panthers will bring in new Assistant Coach Jim Shaffer, and elevate current Assistant Coach Rodrick Sikes to the Head Assistant Coach.
Jim Shaffer joins the Neosho County Panthers staff with nearly 40 years of coaching experience, and over 500 wins as a head coach. Most recently, he is coming off of a two year stretch at Cheyenne Central High School, where he led his team to a 41-12 record, and won the 2024 Wyoming 4A State Championship. The elder Shaffer is no stranger to life as a college assistant, as he also spent time as an assistant coach at two different division 1 schools. During his two years as an assistant coach at the University of Wyoming, he helped lead the Cowboys to two regular season conference championships before leaving to be an assistant at the University of Northern Colorado. Overall, Jim Shaffer has amassed a head coaching record of 514-334, and is a member of the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“Bringing in a coach with his type of experience will be a great asset to our program” said Taylor Shaffer when asked about the hiring of his dad. “He has had loads of success throughout his storied career and has probably forgotten more about basketball than most coaches know. Not only is he an encyclopedia of basketball knowledge, but he also specializes in post player development and will play a major role in helping us develop our big guys. We are very excited about the addition of a coach of his stature, and I look forward to being able to work alongside my dad on a daily basis.”
After one season as an Assistant Coach with the Panthers, Rodrick Sikes has been elevated to the Head Assistant Coach for the upcoming year. In his one year at Neosho County, Coach Sikes played a crucial role in helping the Panthers achieve their first winning season in nearly a decade. The Panthers finished the previous season ranked 9th in the country defensively, and a 16-14 record.
“Coach Sikes has been a great addition to our coach staff” said Head Coach Taylor Shaffer. “He is a fantastic young coach, and his relationships that he has built within our program and school played a huge role in our success. He has played basketball at a very high level, and his unique insight to the game paired with his ability to train our guys and develop their skills has been a massive advantage for our program.”
The Panthers enter the upcoming season looking to build upon the success of the 2023-2024 season which saw them finish with a 16-14 record, break the school record for PPG allowed, finish 9th in the country defensively, and produce the Defensive Player of the Year and 1st Team All-Conference selection Isaiah Howell.
