Even though the California boys basketball team finished with a losing record at 11-15, it'd be pretty hard to call the 2016-17 season a failure.
Coming within six points of winning a district championship is impressive in any year. It's probably more impressive when you consider the Pintos were marred in an eight-game losing streak just one month prior.
But that's what this California team was - resilient.
How so? In their two wins in the Class 3 District 13 tournament, the Pintos overcame a pair of teams - Knob Noster and Boonville - that had beaten them a combined three times earlier in the year.
The win over the Pirates in the district semifinals will likely go down as the climax of California's season, but the dismantling of the Panthers two days before was nearly as impressive. Both games illustrated the leap the Pintos made on the defensive side of the ball.
"It was a team that was young and without a lot of experience," California coach Matt Moulder said. "It was a team that just kind of evolved from a young team to a team that figured some things out as far as what it took to be successful on the defensive end of the floor, what it takes to get good shots and what it takes to prepare yourself on a daily basis."
If avenging two close losses with a nail-biting win over Boonville was California's high-water mark for resiliency, then the early February win over Fatima at the Southern Boone Classic probably deserves honorable mention in that category.
After a 30-point drubbing at the hands of the Comets on their home floor, just three weeks prior, the Pintos produced a high-octane effort and to edge Fatima and end that eight-game skid.
That game was also the point in the season where California's seniors really started to come into their own.
"Our seniors did a huge job just growing as leaders," Moulder said. "Early on, I didn't think we had kids that were comfortable in the leadership role, but they kind of grew into that as the season went on. They started walking the walk and carrying themselves like we needed them to."
The four seniors may have ended their basketball careers a half-dozen points shy of a district title, but they left a nice stamp on the program for the underclassmen.
Wyatt Bestgen, a captain and the only one of the four seniors who was a two-year starter under Moulder, brought leadership and a versatile perimeter game. He also added an incredible three-quarter court buzzer-beater for good measure.
Luke Freeman, the team's other captain, was a lockdown defender for California night in, night out. He often shut down, or at least slowed down, guards who were bigger. He also delivered some clutch shooting late in the year.
Wyatt Percival, who didn't play basketball last season, didn't take long to find his groove. Percival averaged 19.3 points at the Tri-County Tournament and was a standout performer as the Pintos won two of their three games that week in Hallsville.
Jimmie Upton proved to be a key 3-point marksmen off the bench for California all season, but his most valuable contribution of the year came on the defensive side of the ball in the Pintos' final win of the season. In a tough assignment, Upton locked down on Boonville's Riley Lang and held the Pirates' star to a scoreless second quarter as California clawed back into the game and eventually won.
While those four accounted for half of California's main contributors, the Pintos should feel good about the return of Jacob Wolken, Isaac Ash, Jordon Geiser and Liam Schatzer for next season.
Wolken, a three-sport standout, was the only one of the four to enter the year with significant varsity experience. He again proved himself to be an elite rebounder and workhorse down low.
Ash led the Pintos in scoring with over 13 points per game and really came on late after missing a five-game stretch with a concussion in January. Ash's value to the Pintos was apparent when California went winless with him sidelined.
Geiser, the sixth man for California this season, filled a variety of roles for Moulder. His versatility will be counted on heavily in the two years going forward.
Schatzer, a junior, was a valuable bench cog due to his size. The only true big man on the varsity roster aside from Wolken, Schatzer produced some huge moments on the glass in districts.
Overall, the season concluded what was year two at the helm of the California program for Moulder. While a wide-open district already has next year looking like a promising one, it's also clear that the culture is in the right place for the Pintos. The arrow is pointed up.