NWADG Basketball

2017

Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/896086

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 32 of 39

"He's probably the key to our suc- cess because he's going to handle the ball most of the time," Thompson said. "It's going to be up to him to get the ball where it belongs." Farmington will host the 5A-West Conference Tournament at Cardinal Arena Feb. 19-24. HARRISON Harrison is hoping to reload after los- ing six of its top seven players from last season, when the Goblins went 11-0 in district play and 24-6 overall. Harrison reached to quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament before being eliminat- ed by Pulaski Mills. "The guys we have to replace played on teams that were 44-14 the last two years," Harrison coach David Stahler said. "We're not going to be as quick this year, but we'll have more length." The Goblins will rely on 6-foot-6 senior Skyler Young for scoring and rebounding along with 6-foot-3 junior Carson Journagan and 6-foot-6 senior Colton Young- blood. Ben Elliott will man the point guard position in the backcourt along with Gabe Huskey, a standout running back for the Goblins. Both are sopho- mores. "Skyler, he's a late maturer, but he's improved offensively," Stahler said. "He's quick and aggressive. Colton needs to stay healthy after last year, when he missed games because of a twisted an- kle, a concussion and the flu. It'll be a process this year with this team and, hopefully, we'll begin to jell by January." ALMA Teams facing Alma this season will have a hard time match- ing up with their size, where 6-foot-6 center Kade Wood, 6-foot-5 for- ward Christian Stahler and 6-foot-4 forward Brayden Johnson return. "We've got the big- gest team we've ever had here in terms of size," Alma coach Stan Flenor said. "We're very team-oriented and we're going to have to count on each other to keep getting better and better each week." Garrison Jensen returns at guard for the Airedales, who finished 13-16 over- all and 7-5 in district play last season. CLARKSVILLE Clarksville hopes to overcome the loss of Juan Hernandez, who averaged 21 points per game as a senior last sea- son. But guards Trace Thomas and Bob Hurley could pick up the slack after each averaged more than 10 points per game as sophomores last season. "Our lack of size could hurt us, but we've got some guards coming back with Trace and Bob Hurley," Clarks- ville coach Tony Davis said. "Our best teams here have been guard-oriented, and I think we'll be pretty good in the backcourt again this year." Clarksville finished 13-16 overall last season, including 5-7 in conference play. GREENWOOD Greenwood is counting on the re- turn of four starters to propel a turn- around from a 7-23 season a year ago. "We should be quite a bit better," said Greenwood coach Greg Nichols, who begins his third year as the Bull- dogs' coach. "Our kids are starting to understand better our system and what we want out of them." Senior Jordan Shepard (16.0 ppg) is the leading returning scorer for the Bulldogs, who finished 4-9 in district play. He'll be joined in the backcourt by Peyton Holt (11.2 ppg) and Ron- nie Stewart (8 ppg). Zane Harmon, a 6-foot-4 senior, returns to patrol the inside for Greenwood. SILOAM SPRINGS Siloam Springs' rebuilding process will likely continue after the Panthers won only seven games last season. Guards Spencer Lashley and Mur- phy Perkins are the only returning starters. "They're the only two with court- time experience, but I think we have some pieces where we can start to come together," Siloam Springs coach Tim Stewart said. "The kids are show- ing a lot energy in our practices." Rick Fires can be reached at rfires@nwadg. com or on Twitter @NWARick. ALMA — Codey Mann couldn't help but notice as Sierra Bailey gave a young- er Alma teammate instructions on how a certain drill was done during a recent Airedalettes practice session. The senior guard has come a long way from being the person Mann first met when he became Alma's girls coach two years ago. "I'm pretty loud and assertive and not shy any more in those areas," Bailey said. "Maybe in some areas like school, but not on the court. That's where I re- ally come out of my shell." Bailey still considers herself a shy and withdrawn person — the result of being trapped in "bad situations" during her early childhood years with her biological mother, who was 16 when Bailey was born. Those situations even- tually caused her to develop trust is- sues with other people as she bounced around from place to place in the Fort Smith-Greenwood area. Her situation, however, greatly im- proved when she was 5 years old as she and her brother Derek — who was 18 months at the time — were adopt- ed and moved to Alma. It also became the time Bailey's interest in basketball developed. "I would say it took about a year to break out my shell," Bailey said. "That came with not knowing if I was going to be safe there, but it didn't take too long because I knew they were a great family and made me feel welcome. They didn't make me feel like I was adopted. "My first Christmas, I got a basket- ball goal. I would just be out there play- ing, and it was a great stress reliever — something I enjoyed to do. I never thought too serious about it. I just en- joyed doing it." Mann's turn to break Bailey out of another shell came shortly after he was named Alma's new basketball coach in the spring of 2015. He marveled at Bailey's athletic ability and thought Sunday, November 5, 2017 33 2017 Northwest Arkansas Basketball HENRY APPLE NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 6 A / 5 A D I S T R I C T 1 G I R L S Bailey ready to break out for Alma Courtesy Photo Alma senior Sierra Bailey enjoys a happy family life with parents Casey Jo and Wes Bailey, who adopted her when she was 5, and her brothers (from left) Luke, Derek and Jackson. "I'm pretty loud and assertive and not shy any more in those areas. Maybe in some areas like school, but not on the court. That's where I really come out of my shell." — Sierra Bailey, Alma senior See BAILEY, Page 34 6A/5A Boys High 5 SKYLAR MONTEZ FARMINGTON 6-1 SR. Averaged 10 ppg last season for the Cardinals. Scored 24 at Siloam Springs. XAVIER STATEN FARMINGTON 6-4 SR. Senior forward averaged 7.9 ppg last season. SKYLER YOUNG HARRISON 6-6 SR. Averaged 10 ppg and 6 rebounds for a Harrison team that finished 24-6 last season. BRADEN JOHNSON ALMA 6-4 SR. Standout football player who added 8 ppg for Airedales last season. TRACE THOMAS CLARKSVILLE 6-0 JR. Averaged 12 points per game as a sophomore for Clarksville. v Continued from preceding page Stahler Flenor

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of NWADG Basketball - 2017