Page 17 - 2018 TL Basketball Preview

TRI-LAKES EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018
17TT
HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE LADY RAMS
Lady Rams want to continue solid play in new league
BY MARK BUFFALO
STAFF WRITER
The Hot Springs Lakeside Lady Rams are
coming off a 20-10 season in which they finished third in the 5A-South Confer- ence Tournament and played a game in
the Class 5A State Tournament.
Lakeside beat De Queen 61-45 in the third-
place game, then lost to Vilonia 65-42 in the first round of the state tournament.
“We hope to be solid again in our new league, adding multiple 6A schools,” fifth-year Lakeside coach Chris Brock said. “Hopefully, we will be up to the challenge.”
Brock is referring to the new classifications in Arkansas. Instead of seven classes for basketball, there are now six. Lakeside is in the 5A-South with Texarkana, Benton, El Dorado, Little Rock Fair, Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton and Sheridan.
“We will have to play together and play hard at all times, especially on the defensive end,” Brock said. The Lady Rams return three starters from
HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE RAMS
We hope to
be solid again in
our new league,
adding multiple
6A schools.
Hopefully, we
will be up to the
challenge.”
CHRIS BROCK
LAKESIDE LADY RAMS COACH
NOV. 8 ...................................... (G) MALVERN NOV. 13 .............................. (B) ARKADELPHIA NOV. 15 ..............................(B) SYLVAN HILLS NOV. 30 ................................. @GREENBRIER DEC. 4 ............................................... MENA DEC. 6-8 ........................... (B) @FARMINGTON ................................................ TOURNAMENT DEC. 11 ................................... @PRESCOTT JAN. 4 .................................. @EL DORADO* JAN. 8 ............................... LAKE HAMILTON* JAN. 11 ...................................... @BENTON* JAN. 15 ....................................... SHERIDAN
last year, including senior all-state guard Ashton Patrick, junior Chloe Porter and senior Belle Neilson. Patrick led Lakeside in scoring with 16 points per game last year. Porter was the team’s second-leading scorer at 11 points per game. Neilson was the team’s leading rebounder at
8 boards per game.
“Our team strength is our returning experi-
ence, especially at guard,” Brock said. “Chloe and
JAN. 18 ................................... TEXARKANA* JAN. 22 ....................................... @LR FAIR* JAN. 25 ................................ HOT SPRINGS* JAN. 29 ................................... EL DORADO* FEB. 1 ............................ @LAKE HAMILTON* FEB. 5 .......................................... BENTON* FEB. 8 ..................................... @SHERIDAN* FEB. 12 ........................... (G) @TEXARKANA* FEB. 15 ......................................... LR FAIR* FEB. 19 ............................. @HOT SPRINGS*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
Ashton led us in scoring in most games last year.” Other returning experience includes senior guard Lindsey Davis and senior post Sarah Raney. Newcomers include sophomore guard Erika
Bittinger.
“She’s a skilled point guard and a good deci-
sion-maker with the ball,” Brock said. “Also, sopho- more Maddie Trusty is very athletic and can shoot the ball. She is very good in transition.”
CENTERPOINT KNIGHTS
Coach: Centerpoint presents threats inside, outside
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
Centerpoint head coach Kevin Ow-
ens said it is going to be an exciting year with this group, and hopefully, “we can grow and continue to im-
prove through the season to get ready for the postseason.”
The Knights finished 20-14 last year and return two starters: seniors Owen Bright, who averaged 12 points per game last season, and his cousin Michael Bright, who has been a starter at the point-guard position for the past two years.
Senior Colton Carver, 6-7, came off the bench last year, and Owens said Carver is one of the team’s best inside players, alongside sophomore Christian Miller, who averaged a double-double last year at the junior high level.
Owen Bright led the team in 3-point shooting last year, and Michael Bright and
Hopefully, we can get back
to the state
tournament, but
we have our work
cut out for us.”
KEVIN OWENS
CENTERPOINT KNIGHTS COACH
CENTERPOINT KNIGHTS
NOV. 13 ..................................... MOUNT IDA NOV. 26 ............................. @MAGNET COVE ................................................ TOURNAMENT NOV. 27 .......................... CAMDEN FAIRVIEW DEC. 4 ...................................... NASHVILLE DEC. 7 .................................... @DE QUEEN
Cullen Smith can also shoot it well, the coach said.
“Hopefully, we can get back to the state tournament, but we have our work cut out for us,” Owens said. “Ashdown and Smackover are new to our conference, and Prescott has everyone returning, so it is going to be tough.
“Our regional also has some new
additions as well. Drew Central made it to the finals last season, and they have every- one back.”
Centerpoint has four seniors who have a lot of playing experience and also has a good inside presence with Carver and Miller.
“Our defense has to get better,” Owens said. “We have been working on it all fall in the offseason. If we can get better there, it will be a big help.
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
“Team chemistry is also key. We have four seniors; then we get very young, so hopefully, we can get better with team chemistry.”
The coach said the game against Prescott is always a dog fight and a rivalry game.
“Ashdown and Smackover are new, but they should be pretty good,” he said.
Centerpoint will open the season Nov. 13 against Mount Ida.
DEC. 11 DEC. 14 DEC. 18 DEC. 20 DEC. 27
................................ @BISMARCK* .......................... GENOA CENTRAL* ......................................... @MENA ................................... PRESCOTT* ... @LAKE HAMILTON TOURNAMENT*
............................................ FOUKE* ................................. @ASHDOWN* .............................. @SMACKOVER* ................................. @BISMARCK* ........................ @GENOA CENTRAL* ........................ HARDING ACADEMY ................................. @PRESCOTT*
JAN. 8
JAN. 11
JAN. 15
JAN. 18
JAN. 22
JAN. 24
JAN. 29
FEB. 1 ......................................... @FOUKE* FEB. 5 ...................................... ASHDOWN* FEB. 8 ................................... SMACKOVER*