Page 11 - 2018 TL Basketball Preview

OFF THE BENCH: GIRLS
Watch for these outstanding Tri-Lakes Edition players MAKENZY DAVIDSON
BENTON LADY PANTHERS
• Senior
• Averaged 13 ppg 6 2 2 rpg 2 2 5 apg
and 2 spg
TIERRA TROTTER
BRYANT LADY HORNETS
• Junior
• Averaged 10 4 ppg and 3 2 apg
SPEAKING UP
Sheridan star comfortable with leadership role
BY NATE OLSON
Photo by Staci Vandagriff
It wasn’t that that that Diamond Morris couldn’t speak She just didn’t want to The rising sophomore star stood out on that Sheridan team in 2016 that reached the Class 6A state champion-
ship but she didn’t feel comfortable taking a a a a vocal lead with a a a a a team that included a a a a a core group of juniors and seniors “I just didn’t feel like that was my role
” Morris said “I didn’t talk at at all That’s their job ” Even when Sheridan coach Jamison Ingram prodded Morris stood firm “[Coach Ingram] wanted me to talk and correct other players’ mistakes but I just wouldn’t do it ” Morris said “I didn’t feel comfortable doing that so I didn’t ” After averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds per game last season Morris warmed up to the idea of being a a a leader She is the Tri-Lakes Edition 2018 Girls Basketball Player to Watch Ingram joked that she has had a a a a a a hard time keep- ing her star quiet these days “She didn’t like to talk very much or communi- cate about the game game or or her her game game her her sophomore year ” Ingram said “She’s always been a a a a a a a good team- mate but was just not very vocal She has really
blossomed into a a a leader for this team “She has also really
grown in in terms of being a a a a complete player She has really
accepted that she needs to be dominant on the offensive end both with her shot and getting to the lane ” Morris’ game has spoken loudly since she took to the the court as a a a a a a varsity player and and landed in the the starting lineup early in in in her sophomore season At 5-11 Morris willingly played inside for Ingram even though during summer basketball Morris played on the perimeter During her prep career she she has frustrated taller opponents that she she takes off the dribble and smaller ones that she posts up “We’ve played Diamond all over over the court over over NYA MOODY
LAKE HAMILTON LADY WOLVES
• Senior
• Averaged 7 ppg and 5 rpg at Hot Springs
the past few years ” Ingram said “When we first got her as a a a sophomore we we were much bigger than we we are now and we we had our guard positions set so she played mostly as as a a a a a a [forward] Last year we would let her work down low some and still used her mostly as as a a a a a a [forward] This year we aren’t as as set in the guard area so we will play her mostly as a a a a a guard The great thing is that we feel comfortable putting her her anywhere in in the court ” Ingram is is hopeful that playing Morris on the perimeter will help her stock with college coaches She is projected as a a a a shooting guard at the college level Several NCAA Division I programs
have
shown interest in in in her and Arkansas State invited her on a visit “Sometimes I I think about it ” Morris said “I am just going to to keep working hard and try to to get some offers ” After seeing Morris make an an instant impact on her program Ingram is a a a a believer that Morris is is is a a Division I player “I would tell the coaches that she’s got it all and that she is only going to get better ” Ingram said “She’s a a a a hard worker both on and off the the court She’s the the kind of of person that you want to be around and have
on your team ” As the season begins Morris is is more
worried about finish- ing her prep career on a a high note than on getting a a college scholarship She got close
to a a a a a state championship as a a a a a sophomore After Sheridan was bounced in the quarter- finals of the state tournament last year Morris has one more
chance to to get back to to Hot Springs
“We have
some young players who have
never played in a a a a a varsity game ” Morris said “If we can just keep MORRIS c c ti i i i i i i n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n u u u u e
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