During a year in which he was expected to, Tyler Callihan did it all.

As a result, Karns City's junior point guard was named Butler County Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

"He was our only experienced player back," Gremlins coach Steve Andreassi said. "We needed him to be a big-time scorer and be an ultimate team player, to give other guys opportunities to score as well.

"We put a lot on his shoulders, and Tyler handled it very well. He had an incredible year."

Because teammate Josh Smith injured his knee during football season and missed the basketball campaign, Callihan was Karns City's lone returning letterman.

"I was definitely scared at the beginning of the year," Callihan said. "I didn't know what anybody could do, and David Slagle had missed his junior year with a knee injury.

"Our team's success surprised me. We did much better than anyone thought we could do," he added.

The Gremlins defeated the top three teams in the KSAC - Keystone, Moniteau and A-C Valley - once each and stayed in the hunt for the league title until the final week of the season.

Callihan averaged 23.1 points per game to lead Butler County. He also averaged eight rebounds, five assists and two steals per game.

His 63 3-pointers led the county as well.

"The kid did everything for us," Andreassi said. "At the end of games, everybody in the place knew who was getting the ball. And he wanted the ball."

Callihan had an off night shooting during a two-point loss to Moniteau at Karns City in the first half of the season. He missed a 3-point shot that would have won the game at the buzzer.

When the rivals had their rematch at Moniteau late in the year, Callihan scored a career-high 37 points - including 22 in the second quarter - to lead the way to a 60-59 victory.

"Tyler had a chip on his shoulder entering that game," Andreassi said. "That's the kind of competitor he is.

"I've never seen a player have a quarter like he had that night. That was crazy. It's something you might see in an NBA game, not around here," he added.

"That was the best game I've ever played," Callihan said. "I was just feeling it in that second quarter. Everything was going in. It was the best feeling in the world."

Karns City failed to win a regular season game outside of the KSAC this year. A rigorous out-of-conference schedule had a lot to do with that.

"We lacked experience, and those games are where it showed," Callihan said. "During the pressure moments against those teams, we weren't experienced enough to handle it.

"That will change next year. We'll have a more seasoned team and we'll be physically stronger."

Callihan had a nagging ankle sprain all of last summer that limited his ability to get on the court during those months.

"He exceeded my expectations - and I expected a lot from him," Andreassi said. "He never backed away from any challenge, never shied away from any pressure situation.

"That's what an experienced leader does. That's what we'll have next year."

Andreassi isn't concerned about any inflated expectations he or anyone else has for Callihan next season.

"I don't think he'll feel any differently going into next year as he did going into this year," Andreassi said. "He's still the same hard-working kid. That's good enough for me."