Page 22 - 2018 TR Basketball Preview

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018 | THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASKETBALL PREVIEW
RIVERVIEW LADY RAIDERS
Lady Raiders stress chemistry, relationships
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
The Riverview Lady Raiders hope to make a return trip to the state- championship game this year, and with three starters returning from last year’s program, head coach Ryan Smith thinks it is an attainable goal.
“When we get them all here [from volley- ball], we will have individual meetings and tell them what to expect from us,” Smith said. “They have always bought into our program, and I feel like I have a good relationship with them, which means a lot to me.
“They respect me and what I have to offer. We are just excited to kick it off.”
Riverview finished as 4A state runner-up last
season, losing to Central Arkansas Christian in the finals. Both programs move down to Class 3A this season. Returning for the Lady Raiders are senior Abbie Jiles, junior Parker Smith and senior Baylee Davis.
Jiles averaged 17 points per game last year and is this year’s Three Rivers Edition Girls Basket- ball Player to Watch. Parker Smith is the coach’s daughter and averaged 10 points per game last year, while Davis, who earned all-conference last year, chipped in with 8 points per game.
“The biggest thing is, Parker and Baylee have been playing since they were sophomores — Parker has been playing since she was a fresh- man — and they both have a lot of experience,” Ryan Smith said. “It is their turn to be leaders.
“The team is going to fallow where they go and how they play.”
Parker Smith was all-conference last year and led the team in assists and 3-point percentage. The coach said he puts a lot on his daughter.
“It is tough coaching your daughter,” he said. “I try to find the balance between dad and coach. I wouldn’t put that on anybody.”
Senior Alexa Gray averaged 5 points per game off the bench last year, and the coach said she is a really experienced spot player.
“We have three or four starters coming back,” he said. “That’s the making of a strong team.”
Freshman Makayla Baker will move up to the varsity level this year.
“I wouldn’t move her up if I didn’t plan on playing her,” Coach Smith said. “We lost a transfer back to Searcy at the end of last school year, and she was a good player. So it was a number-crunch thing.
“But Makayla was my best junior high player. She is athletic, and she knows the game pretty well and is pretty savvy. I think playing against some experienced players will do her some good.”
The coach said Riverview has some inex- perience and lacks a lot of depth this year, but the team’s biggest strength is its chemistry, and he believes Riverview has a chance to make the state tournament again.
“They all get along; they all like each other. They hang out a lot together,” Smith said. “I am looking forward to coaching this bunch of great kids. They are very coachable, and I enjoy being around them.
“Our goal every year is to make the state tourney and be playing our best basketball at tourney time.”
WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL BEARS
White County Central itching for season to start
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
Members of the White County Central
boys basketball team are ready to make their mark this year. Head coach Ryan Koerdt said his players
have gained a ton of experience in the past two seasons and “are ready for their shot this year.”
“These three classes have all been to the district championships in junior high, win- ning two out of three,” Koerdt said, “and after beating Earle last year in February and winning regionals, they are hungry to see what they can do this year.”
The White County Central Bears have a couple of big bodies inside that could pose a legitimate threat, including returning starter Jagger Myers and Tanner Rickett.
“Tanner can score with his back to the basket, and he is a terrific screener,” Koerdt said. “Ethan Jones is a long, rangy player who can play inside and out, and Landon Swindle is a fundamental player who can also play inside and out.”
The coach said returning starter Marlin Carder and Tyler Dickerson will lead the way at the perimeter.
WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL BEARS
but he has a high ceiling,” Koerdt said. “Weston Hayes is extremely dynamic at all three levels on offense, and Marlin Carder is just deceivingly good,” the coach said. “Ethan Jones and Jagger Myers may be undersized for their positions, but both are great high
school ballplayers.
“All of these guards can guard the ball and
are very physical.”
White County Central finished 32-8
last year.
“It is the same story this year for us,”
Koerdt said. “We have exceeded or gone one step further each and every year in my tenure here.
“We will have to crash the boards on both ends each and every game.”
One of the biggest weaknesses this year for White County Central will be the team’s lack of height, the coach said.
“We have several guys over 6 feet, but we have been accustomed to having dominant post players the past five years,” Koerdt said.
The coach said he expects every game to be tough, but the games against Quitman, Earle and Dermott will be some of the ones to definitely watch.
OCT.16 ......................................CONCORD OCT. 19 .................................. @BRADFORD OCT. 23 ......................................(B) ESTEM OCT. 26 ................................. (B) MAYNARD OCT. 30 ...................MOUNT VERNON-ENOLA NOV. 2 .........................................DERMOTT NOV. 6 .................................(G) @NEWPORT NOV. 8 ...............SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH* NOV. 13 ....................................BALD KNOB NOV. 15 ....................@MAUMELLE CHARTER NOV. 16 ................................ @TUCKERMAN NOV. 26-DEC. 1 ......WHITE COUNTY CENTRAL
TOURNAMENT NOV. 30 ..................... CONWAY ST. JOSEPH* DEC. 4 ...................................... QUITMAN* DEC. 7 ................................. @PANGBURN* DEC. 11 .................................... (B) @EARLE DEC. 14 ...................................... DES ARC*
“Weston Hayes is a great athlete and has developed into a great playmaker,” Koerdt said. “Dillon Hopkins is a dead-eye shooter, and no one will play harder than him.”
The coach said Hunter Jackson is a terrific
DEC. 17 ................... @CONWAY CHRISTIAN* DEC. 20 .......................... @HEBER SPRINGS DEC. 27-29 ........ (B) @BERRYVILLE TOURNEY JAN. 7 ........................ MAUMELLE CHARTER JAN. 8 ................................ @NEMO VISTA* JAN. 11 .................. @CONWAY ST. JOSEPH* JAN. 15 ................................... @QUITMAN* JAN. 18 ................................... PANGBURN* JAN. 22 ...................... CONWAY CHRISTIAN* JAN. 24 ................................... @DES ARC* JAN. 25 ...................................... (B) EARLE JAN. 28 ....................................... MIDLAND JAN. 29 .......... @SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH*
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ing enough to raise his college stock. “Dillon Hopkins is only a sophomore,
................................... NEMO VISTA* ............... SALINE COUNTY CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL *DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES slasher and has been spending this offseason working on his ball-handling and shooting. Koerdt said Jackson has improved his shoot-
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