Ryan Webber expects to focus on team building as his Ellsworth Bearcats enter the 2019-20 basketball season. “If we learn to operate well as a team we should be very competitive,” he said. The ‘Cats ended their 2018-19 season with an overall record of 16-6 and 9-3 in the North Central Activities Association. Despite a hard fight, the Bearcats fell to the TMP Monarchs in a heartbreaking sub-State championship game at Minneapolis. Lost to graduation from that team were Remington Cravens, who ended his high school career with 21 points against TMP, Jordan Base, Branden Kerr, Jaxson Windholz, Chris Fitzgerald and Drew Kratzer. Returning players for the 2019-20 season include Hayden Rogers, Avery Haxton and Trey Anderson. Rogers was a starter this past season and Haxton has received significant floor time since he was a freshman. Webber, who starts his second year as head coach, said the strengths of this year’s Bearcats are overall athleticism and basketball knowledge. A challenge will be the ability of the other NCAA teams. The league is filled with quality teams. “Particularly Minneapolis and Beloit,” Webber said. Ryan Peschka is assistant coach. The Bearcats are at home Friday against Lyons.