Page 9 - 2018 TL Basketball Preview

TRI-LAKES EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018
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GLEN ROSE BEAVERS
Coming together will make or break Beavers, coach says
BY AMBER QUAID
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Beavers are looking to gain strength
through team unity, but that is a road they still have to traverse this season, head coach Devin Jones said. In his
second year at Glen Rose, Jones is working on getting them down that road after losing four starters from last year.
“We lost four starters from last year’s con- ference-championship team. It will be extreme- ly hard to replace the toughness and attitude that those seniors played with every day,” Jones said. “This year’s group needs to really come together as a team, instead of being a bunch of individuals. Team chemistry is everything.”
The remaining starter is junior Brayden
GLEN ROSE BEAVERS
is “tough and physical,” and guards: senior Jace Haynes, junior Brenden Hill and sophomore Cole Stewart, who are “all solid shooters and can really stretch the floor,” Jones said. Having solid outside players can set a foundation to improve the newer inside players to help bring a team together, he said.
The Beavers will face three-time state cham- pion Baptist Prep, a 4A team that has stepped down into the 3A, and to improve on last season’s 15-16 record as conference champions, Jones said. There will be other tough opponents in Light- house, Episcopal, Mayflower and Lisa Academy as they all “have good athletes and bring different challenges to each game,” the coach said.
“This is a young group that has a chance to be very competitive in 3A if they will come together as a team,” Jones said.
GLEN ROSE LADY BEAVERS
NOV. 6 ............................ (B) @MAGNET COVE NOV. 8 ...................................... (G) GURDON NOV. 13 ...................................... @CARLISLE NOV. 20 ............................... MOUNTAIN PINE NOV. 26 .................................. (G) BRINKLEY DEC. 3 ........ (G) LR EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE* DEC. 4 ..................................... @BISMARCK DEC. 7 ...................................... @OUACHITA DEC. 14 ........ @HASKELL HARMONY GROVE* DEC. 18 ...... CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN DEC. 21 ......................... (B)@MAGNET COVE JAN. 4 ............ @JACKSONVILLE LIGHTHOUSE
Lyons, who had 8 rebounds per game last sea- son and was named all-conference and all-state. The coach said that with having a returning starter with such accolades under his belt and
JAN. 8 .................................... MAYFLOWER* JAN. 11 ............................ @LISA ACADEMY* JAN. 15 ................................ BAPTIST PREP* JAN. 18 ............ HASKELL HARMONY GROVE* JAN. 22 .... @CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN JAN. 25 .......... @LR EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE* JAN. 29 ........... JACKSONVILLE LIGHTHOUSE* FEB. 1 .................................. @MAYFLOWER* FEB. 5 ................................ LISA ACADEMY* FEB. 8 ............................... @BAPTIST PREP*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
skill to teach the younger team, advancement and unity are obtainable prospects.
To assist in building the team back up is sophomore forward Andrew Weatherford, who
Lady Beavers relying on young group against state champs
BY AMBER QUAID
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The defending 2017-2018 4A state champs, Central Arkansas Christian, have dropped down into Glen Rose’s conference, 3A-5, and head coach Roy Ray said he knows CAC will be his team’s toughest opponent this season. However, the Lady Beavers have proven themselves a worthy match for CAC by advancing to the regional tournament four years straight under Ray’s coaching.
“Last year, we finished third in conference and advanced to the regional tournament for four straight years,” Ray said. “We will need to make the district finals to help improve our chances of advancing to the state tournament this season.”
Returning players sophomore Love Doddridge, with 9.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last year, and senior Kasey Griffin, with 2.2 points and 3.1 assists per game, will help the team’s chances for advancement, the coach said. Also, junior Molly Padgett and sophomore Kamryn Raper will assist from the inside, along with Doddridge stepping up.
The Lady Beavers are looking to their
PHOTOS BY STACI VANDAGRIFF/TRI-LAKES EDITION
Sidney Robbins prepares for a basket.
younger players to be a solid force this season. Assisting from the outside will be Griffith, junior Rachel LeQuieu, sophomore Emma McJunkins and sophomore Maddi Carver. The team looks to improve on its 14-16 record from last season. Overall, coach Ray’s five-year career record is 156-137.
“With two seniors on the team, we will de- pend heavily on the younger groups,” Ray said. “Look for us to improve every game going into conference play in December.”
Kaylee Stafford practices her ball-handling skills during a Lady Beavers practice.
This improvement comes from the team’s ability to go 10 players deep this season with “strong juniors and sophomores” rising to the front to push the team, Ray said.
Having lost most of the seniors, Ray said, this younger team is looking to gain strength through its consistent hard work and teamwork to unify the Lady Beavers and keep their eyes on the prize — the state tournament.
Senior Kasey Griffin makes a drive for the basket during practice.