Page 5 - Tri Lakes Basketball Preview 2015

TRI-LAKES EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW
| SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2015
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JESSIEVILLE LIONS
BOYS
Conference: 3A-5
Coach: Eddie Lamb
Assistant coach: J.J. Jaquez
2014-15 record: 22-11
Returning starters: The 2015-16 outlook for
Jessieville appears promising, and for longtime coach Eddie Lamb, that’s a great feeling. Lamb, who is 445-181 heading into his 21st season at the helm, will have a trio of players who started for a team that finished 22-11 and advanced to the state tournament, led by reigning Garland County Player of the Year Hunter Daley. “He is a great shooter and can score the ball,” Lamb said. Daley, a 5-11 senior guard, averaged 22 points
GIRLS
Conference: 3A-5
Coach: Matt Carter
Assistant coach: Kodi Speers
2014-15 record: 24-10
Returning starters: Jessieville has the luxury
of having three starters back from a team that was one game away from playing for the Class 3A state title last season. The Lady Lions return three regulars, led by a junior forward, Kelli Lampo (6-1), and a senior forward, Madison Hair (5-8). Junior guard Faith Bratton (5-9) also returns for Jessieville, as does junior guard Mary Carter (5- 7) and senior guard Ashley Brinkley (5-8), both of whom started at different points during the 2014-15 year.
JESSIEVILLE LIONS
be a main component on the interior, but Lamb likes the development of senior Chase Blanchard (6-5). “He’ll be a factor with Benson inside,” Lamb said. “He is the most improved player from the summer.”
Best outside players: Aside from Daley and Anderson, a pair of youngsters will be asked to step in immediately. Sophomore Alex Burlson (6-2) and freshman Sawyer Lamb (6-3) will jump
JESSIEVILLE BOYS continued on 14TT
NOV. 21 ................................... MENA (GIRLS) NOV. 24 ....................................... @MALVERN DEC. 1 .................................. FOUNTAIN LAKE DEC. 8 ............................... @LR EPISCOPAL* DEC. 11 .................................... GLEN ROSE* JAN. 5 ........................................ BISMARCK* JAN. 8 .......................... PERRYVILLE* (GIRLS) JAN. 12 ........... @HASKELL HARMONY GROVE* JAN. 15 ................................. @MAYFLOWER*
per game a year ago. Junior center Steven Benson (6-5) is a two-year starter, while junior guard/ small forward Dylan Anderson returns on the wing. “Steven Benson is a very strong kid and a
Best inside players: Lampo is not only Jes- sieville’s top post player, but she’s also one of the top talents in the state. “She’s powerful in the post, but she can step away from the basket, too,” Jes- sieville coach Matt Carter said. “She plays hard on both ends of the floor.” Lampo, who’s scored 1,021 points over the past two seasons, averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds per game as a sophomore and shot 70 percent from the free-throw line. She had a number of impressive performances a year ago but seemed to save her best outings for when the stakes were high. Lampo had 32 points and 21 rebounds in a 68-50 victory over River- crest during the second round of the 3A State Tournament and turned in a monster 40-point, 16-rebound effort in a 71-61 loss in the semifinals to Valley Springs.
JAN. 19 ................................. LR EPISCOPAL* JAN. 22 .................................. @GLEN ROSE* JAN. 28 ...................................... BISMARCK* FEB. 2 ....................................@PERRYVILLE* FEB. 5 ............... HASKELL HARMONY GROVE* FEB. 8 ........................... PERRYVILLE* (BOYS) FEB. 9 ......................................MAYFLOWER* FEB. 12 ....................................... @ENGLAND
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
great kid,” Lamb said. “And Dylan averaged eight points per game as a sophomore and can really shoot the ball.”
Best inside players: Benson will definitely team’s top 3-point shooters last season, and Car-
ter is expecting even bigger things from her this year. “Madison has a lot of confidence coming into the season,” he said. “She is an all-around strong player and has a strong midrange game. She can really score the ball and plays good de- fense. I expect her to have a big year for us.” Hair
JESSIEVILLE GIRLS continued on 14TT
Best outside players: Hair was one of the FOUNTAIN LAKE COBRAS
NOV. 17 ................................. @CENTERPOINT NOV. 19 .....................CUTTER MORNING STAR NOV. 21 .............. @JESSIEVILLE TOURNAMENT NOV. 24 ................................@MAGNET COVE NOV. 30 ................... @HASKELL HG TOURNEY DEC. 1 .................................... @JESSIEVILLE DEC. 8 .................. @HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE DEC.14 .......................................MALVERN* DEC. 18 ....................................@WALDRON* JAN. 5 ..................................... @NASHVILLE* JAN. 8 ............................................... MENA* JAN. 12 ....................................... @BAUXITE* JAN. 15 ...............................@ARKADELPHIA* JAN. 19 .......................................ASHDOWN* JAN. 22 ..................................... @MALVERN* JAN. 26 ....................................... WALDRON* JAN. 29 ......................................NASHVILLE* FEB. 2 .............................................@MENA* FEB. 5 ............................................BAUXITE*
FEB. 9 ....................................ARKADELPHIA*
FEB. 12
.................................... @ASHDOWN* *DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES