Surrounded by picturesque farmland in the middle of Labette County, situated an hour’s drive west of Joplin and 12 miles south of Parsons, the small community of Altamont, Kansas, is home to just over 1,000 residents.
One of those inhabitants just happens to be the new all-time leading scorer in the history of Southeast Kansas League basketball. Her name is Tristan Gegg and she’s the pride of Altamont.
Although her senior season at Labette County High School is still in its early stages, Gegg has already cemented her place as one of the all-time greats from Southeast Kansas. A 5-foot-8 sharpshooter who has been a varsity standout from the time she entered high school, Gegg became the SEK League’s all-time points leader earlier this month.
Gegg has now scored 1,755 career points, more than any girl or boy in the history of the league, as Coffeyville’s Cameron Craig was the previous league record holder with 1,625 points scored from 2008-11.
While acknowledging the significance of the scoring mark, Gegg made it clear that to her, team accomplishments take precedence over any individual accolade.
“It’s pretty cool that I’m the all-time leading scorer, but I didn’t know anything about the record and I didn’t even know I had it until they told me,” Gegg said. “It’s nice, but points are just points and I’m more worried about winning games.”
Labette County coach Kristi Snider wasn’t surprised at how Gegg handled the attention that came along with reaching the milestone.
“She’s done a great job of staying humble,” Snider said. “She’s very complimentary of her teammates because she knows she can’t do it without them. But she’s just a terrific shooter and she brings a lot to the table for us.”
Entering the 2017-18 season with an already-impressive resume, including three all-state and three first-team all-SEK selections, Gegg began her senior season with 1,616 points.
After scoring 14 points at Girard to break the record, Gegg added 25 against Frontenac before pouring in 41 points against Spring Hill. Gegg scored 33 against Parsons last Tuesday and then continued the strong stretch of play with 26 at Chanute on Friday.
With Gegg leading the way, the undefeated Grizzlies (5-0) are ranked fifth in Class 4A-Division I by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.
Gegg admitted it’s hard to believe her senior year has already arrived.
“I remember being a freshman and thinking it would take forever for my senior year to get here,” Gegg said with a laugh. “Now, my senior year is almost half over. It’s crazy how fast it flies by.”
Gegg’s basketball journey began when she first started playing recreational league ball in Parsons while in the second grade. After having success on the court, and having fun at the same time, shooting hoops became a passion for the daughter of Debbie and Scott Gegg.
“It’s just fun to me,” Gegg said. “I just love the game.”
When it came to youth basketball, Gegg was soon playing up a level with older girls. And by the time Gegg was finishing up her playing career at Altamont Middle School, she was a household name in Southeast Kansas. A scoring machine, Gegg led her middle school squad to a pair of undefeated seasons. She had some legendary performances along the way, too, scoring 42 points in one half of a game, while pouring in 52 points in three quarters in another.
Upon entering high school, Gegg made an immediate impact for the Grizzlies, scoring just under 20 points per game and earning second-team all-state recognition as a freshman. As a sophomore, Gegg averaged 22 points per game and earned first-team all-state honors for the Grizzlies, who finished fourth at the state tournament.
After the graduation of backcourt mate Erica Gartner, Gegg took her game to another level as a junior, averaging 26 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals per game, earning another first-team all-state honor while once again leading the Grizzlies to state. In one highlight of her junior season, Gegg torched Paola for a career-high 43 points in the type of performance that had college coaches drooling.
In fact, Gegg drew plenty of NCAA Division I attention, including Kansas and Wichita State, before ultimately deciding to play at nearby Pittsburg State for Lane Lord, who had been recruiting her since she was in the seventh grade. Gegg officially signed with the Gorillas last month.
“I think she’s a steal, a Division I-type player,” Lord told the Globe last month. “She’ll be an impact player for us right away.”
Snider noted Gegg has worked tirelessly throughout her prep career to expand her game.
A solid ball handler and facilitator, Gegg is more than just a long-range shooter, as she’s had success driving to the hoop, often finishing with a high-arching floater. As the primary focus of opposing defenses, Gegg has worked at being patient in her team’s half-court offense, moving without the ball and letting plays develop in order to get open looks from the perimeter.
“She’s seen about every defense, whether it’s a box-and-one or a triangle-and-two,” Snider said. “And there have been times when it hasn’t come easy for her. She’s had to mature. There’s been a growing-up process.”
Gegg doesn’t hesitate to distribute the basketball to her teammates when she’s double teamed, either.
“We work on those things in practice,” Gegg said. “And our other girls have stepped up really well. Teams have to worry about everybody. I think everyone is contributing on our team, so it’s been great this season.”
With that thought in mind, Gegg said she’s not concerned about any other individual accolades that may come her way. Instead, she’s focused on leading the Grizzlies to as many wins as possible, with another state berth the ultimate goal.
“Our main goal is hopefully to have no injuries this season,” Gegg said. “And we want to make it to state for a fourth year in a row. On our team, we’re just worried about winning and ending the season with a bang.”
With a long list of individual accomplishments secured, including the league’s scoring record, Gegg will leave a indelible mark on not only the Labette County basketball program, but also on the SEK League, the state of Kansas and the entire Joplin-region.
Queried about her standout’s soon-to-be lasting legacy, Snider noted a player like Gegg doesn’t come around too often, whether in Altamont or anywhere else on the map.
“She has natural talent and she just loves the game,” Snider said. “In my 31 years, she’s probably the best shooter I’ve seen. She has a natural gift. God blessed her.”
SEK LEAGUE ALL-TIME LEADING SCORERS
GIRLS (top 5)
(Player, school, points, years played)
Tristan Gegg, Labette County 1,755 2014-current
Lori Myers, Labette County 1,486 1978-82
Kendra Frazier, Labette County 1,476 2004-08
Erica Redman, Independence 1,442 1999-2002
Jamie Osborn, Independence 1,405 1991-94
BOYS (top 5)
Cameron Craig, Coffeyville 1,625 2008-11
Ryan Odaffer, Labette County 1,490 1997-2000
James Newton, Coffeyville 1,482 2010-14
Doug Nading, Labette County 1,223 1972-75
Ethan Cordray, Coffeyville 1,193 2007-10
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