Page 20 - 2018 TR Basketball Preview

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 28 2018 | THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY OCTOBER 28 2018 ALL BUSINESS IN SHYMARYIA CHRISTOPHER
JACKSONVILLE LADY TITANS
• Junior
• Averaged 19 ppg 10 rpg 3 apg
BY SAM PIERCE
Photos by Mark Buffalo
Riverview senior Abbie Jiles is is still miffed that that that the Lady Raiders lost to Central Arkansas Christian in last year’s 4A state-championship game “It burns her up that that we lost that that last game ” head coach Ryan Smith said “I feel like we could have done a a little better possibly won ” Jiles said “But it it didn’t go our way but it it was a a a a great ride “Coming from North Dakota to to here and getting to to go that far it was was just a a a a a a a blessing It was was awesome I I am still kind of in in awe about that ” Jiles averaged 19 points per game with 6 rebounds and and finished as the team leader fin in steals and and blocks e e e e e e e Lady Raiders finished the year with a a a a a a 27-10 record and as state runner-up “I think we can go back to state this year We are just going to to have have to to work super hard and have have the right mindset ” Jiles said “At the beginning of last year during
practice we talked about going to state and it gives us motivation to work extra hard in practice “It is going to be fun ” Jiles is is this year’s ree Rivers Edition Girls Basketball
Player to Watch “She leads by example and she is verbal in her leadership ” Smith said “She is just a a a good person She She has been brought up the the right way She is real encouraging and makes others
feel comfortable “When she she gets mad she she plays harder Most girls will
pout but she takes it up to another level ” Jiles said she has been spending the offseason working
on her her shot by spending as as much of her her free time as as she can inside the gym “Last year my shooting percentage wasn’t where I want- ed to be be so I have been really focusing on getting my form
down ” Jiles said “and being consistent with my shots Plus I have been working
on my dribbling and and ball
handling ” Jiles said she has a a a a a number in her head of how many shots she wants to to make in in a a a a a a day She turns it into a a a a a a game OFF THE BENCH: GIRLS
Watch for these outstanding ree Rivers Edition players SYDNEY GILLHAM
HOXIE LADY MUSTANGS
• Senior
• Averaged 14 6 ppg 9 2 rpg 2 2 3 spg 2 2 apg
that before she she she leaves she she she has to make the shots When she she she misses she makes herself run “It puts pressure on me me to make the shots so it is not just me me out there shooting I I have a a a purpose ” Jiles said “I feel like it is important to have a a a a a purpose with what you are doing ” Jiles who prefers playing defense said she would also like to improve her rebound numbers from last year “It is always fun to to to pressure teams and I I like to to to do that to to to teams and try to get them frazzled If your defense is good then your offense will
start to flow ” Jiles is originally from Pocahontas but moved to North Dakota in 2015 She moved to Searcy before the start of last season a a a a a a er er her dad Alonzo became the pastor at New Horizons International Ministries Jiles is is also playing volleyball this year along with a a a a a a lot of her basketball teammates and trying to balance both sports has been a a challenge “It has been a a a a a a struggle ” Jiles said “I “I usually have volleyball practice practice during
school and and then I will
stay a a a a a a er and and practice practice basketball basketball It is kind of hard but I I love basketball basketball so much that it is not too difficult finding time ” She said that playing both sports has helped to bring the team together together because they are spending so much time together together “We are going to to to push each each other other and try to to to help each each other other to to to become our best ” Jiles said Jiles has already received offers from Harding University in in Searcy and from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia Smith said she also received interest from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee “She is a a a a a a a winner that’s all
all
you can really say ” Smith said “She has an an outgoing personality that is infectious and she is is is funny But when it is is is time to play she is is is all
business She does a a a a a a a good job balancing being a a a a a a a fun and encouraging leader ” the coach said “Last year I was was new so it was was kind of hard to be a a a a a a a leader but this year it will
be easier to step up and help the girls ” Jiles said Obviously the goal for Riverview this season is is to to make it to to the state-championship game again “We are getting our our top four contributing players back so we have lots of experience ” Jiles said “I think everybody knows what we we we want to do and we we we know we we we can get there ” TAYLOR GRIFFIN
BATESVILLE LADY PIONEERS
• Senior
• Averaged 18 ppg 6 rpg Riverview senior eyeing return trip to state finals