Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/896086
32 2017 Northwest Arkansas Basketball Sunday, November 5, 2017 There are always shoes to fill from one season to the next, and the two at Farmington are as big as Bozo the Clown's feet. Matt Wilson is now at Delta State after he averaged 29 points per game and set the school record in scoring last season. He also established Farm- ington's single-game scoring record with 50 points in a win over Clarksville. No one else averaged more than eight points a game for the Cardinals, who fin- ished 20-8 overall and 9-3 in district play. "Matt was so good with the ball in his hands we ran a lot of isolation plays for him," Farmington coach Beau Thomp- son said. "But we've always been more of a motion and an equal opportunity team, and I think our shots will be distributed more evenly this year." Senior forwards Skylar Montez (10 points per game) and Xavier Staten (7.9 ppg) are expected to increase their scoring along with center Jacob Gray (2.3 ppg). Montez showed his scoring potential by scoring 24 points in a game at Siloam Springs. "They weren't going to let Matt get the ball, and Skylar scored 24 in a close game we easily could have lost," Thomp- son said. "He's going to have to put the ball in the hole for us and he's going to have the handle the ball better. "Xavier, he is kind of a do-all player from the point-forward position. Last year, he kind of stayed in the background and that's not an option for him this year. We really have to have him step up and score for us." Peyton Maxwell will start at guard this year after coming off the bench last season as a reserve. Farmington looking for scorers after Wilson departs File Photo Xavier Staten (left) is one of the players Farmington will look to for increased scoring following the graduation of Matt Wilson, who av- eraged 29 points per game last season. Staten averaged 7.9 for the Cardinals. C L A S S 6 A / 5 A D I S T R I C T 1 B O Y S RICK FIRES NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE "Xavier, he is kind of a do-all player from the point-forward position. Last year, he kind of stayed in the background and that's not an option for him this year. We really have to have him step up and score for us." — Beau Thompson, Farmington boys basketball coach v Continued on next page