Thursday, October 30, 1997

Basketball teams prepare for season opener

By MARK WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News

High school basketball teams around the state began practice Monday, and the local squads are all preparing for the start of the regular season on Nov. 18.

Here is a brief rundown on the outlook and prospects for the boys and girls teams at Abilene High, Cooper and Wylie:

Abilene High boys

The Eagles are starting their second season under head coach Jeff Evans, who led them to a 9-21 season record in 1996-97.

Abilene High, which was 3-9 in District 4-5A play, has three returning starters -- 6-4 Odis Dolton, a second-team all-district performer, Jason Bush and Marcus Eckert.

Evans said that last year's junior varsity, which lost only three games and won the district JV title, should provide several talented players this season.

"There are probably five kids off the JV that will contribute a bunch," Evans said. "I really feel good about the kids that were on the JV."

Team quickness should again be a strength, and Evans feels that the Eagles are ready to climb over the hump this season.

"Last year we were on the edge," said Evans, whose team will open the season Nov. 18 at Lubbock Coronado. "Our record was deceiving. We were better than it indicated. We lost a lot of close games. I feel like this group can get over that hump. Last year's group got us to a competitive level."

Evans said that the talent is heavy at the guard position, and that perimeter shooting and quickness should be a big plus this season.

Cooper boys

New Cougar head coach Dan Harris isn't planning on making wholesale changes in Cooper's boys program, because he didn't see the need.

The Cougars were 23-13 last season and 7-5 in district. They won a district playoff and eventually reached the Region I-5A tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

"I'm not coming in trying to change a lot of things, because they've done so well," said Harris, who replaced coach Greg Gober. Gober had led the Cougars to three consecutive District 4-5A championships before earning the second-place playoff berth last season.

"I've been pleased with their effort level and how receptive they've been. I like their competitiveness," Harris said. "I try to stay away from our weaknesses and try to play to our strengths. That's part of the discovery process going on out here right now."

Harris said he is basically a conservative coach in nature, and stresses being fundamentally sound.

Two 6-4 players, senior Kyle Scott and junior Felton Freeman, were starters at least part of the time last season among the group of six returning lettermen.

The Cougars will open their season Nov. 18 with a game recently added to the schedule, at Merkel. The Cougars' second game, at home against Arlington Martin, has been moved to Nov. 22.

Wylie boys

The Bulldogs aren't at full strength because six or seven potential varsity basketball players are in football. But when they do get everyone in the fold, head coach Kirby Chandler expects to have plenty of depth and experience.

Wylie's eight returning lettermen include Dustin Williams and first-team all-district performer Grant Gregg, who were full-time starters, as well as part-time starters Ricky Baird and Scott Bull.

Senior Dean Beasley and junior Michael Beasley, a pair of 6-2 transfers from Eastland, could help the Bulldogs on the front line along with Gregg, who is 6-3. John Hooge is a 6-4 player up from the junior varsity squad that won 20-plus games last season.

"As a group, we've worked real hard," Chandler said. "I've been pleased with our intensity level. They want to continue to improve every day and make steady progress to getting Wylie back in the playoffs. We've missed that the last couple of years."

Wylie, which was 14-16 overall last season and 7-9 in District 6-3A, will begin its season at home against Sweetwater.

Abilene High girls

The Lady Eagles, in their second season under head coach Pat Mouser, are looking to rebound from a 4-21 season with eight returning letterwinners. The Lady Eagles lost only one senior to graduation.

"We're going to be a whole lot better than last year," Mouser said. "Last year, we didn't have anybody that had played at their same positions.

"One of the biggest differences is, they know the drills, they know the defense. We're able to work on what they need to work on."

Randi Williams, Michelle Martin and Sara Laster are returning starters, and Misty Mays, Kim Roach, Candice Oliver and Heaven Balanciere all back with at least some starting experience.

Height won't be a strength, however, with Laster (who stands 5-11) the only player over 5-9. But Mouser is counting on quickness and speed to get the job done.

"We'll be small, but we're extremely quick," said Mouser, whose team will open the season at home Nov. 18 against Stephenville.

Cooper girls

Cooper girls head coach Kirk Ellis is looking forward to having a more experienced group in hopes of improving on last season's 11-16 mark.

The Lady Cougars were 1-11 in District 4-5A play, but Catherine Weir, Tamara Hart, Ashley Varner and Toni Choate are all returning starters and Robin Padgett was a part-time starter. This will be the third varsity season for Weir, Hart and Padgett, and there are four other seniors on hand among the seven returning lettermen.

Choate had been starting until she was sidelined during district play with a knee injury that required surgery. Weir, the team's leading scorer, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee last May, but did not have surgery and will play with a knee brace.

Ellis believes that Weir, a first-team all-district player, will have more help than before.

"We're not going to have to have one person carry us," Ellis said. "I feel we're going to have a lot of players we can go to."

And 6-1 sophomore April Coffield along with juniors Amanda Partin and Shannise Martin are coming up off of a junior varsity that was 9-3 in district.

The Lady Cougars will open play Nov. 18 at Wylie.

Wylie girls

The Lady Bulldogs are coming off a 17-15 season with six returning lettermen and five seniors, but only one -- Meredith Ripley -- was a full-time starter.

Ripley, a 5-8 senior, was a first-team all-District 6-3A performer. Kendra Deberry, a 5-9 junior, got a lot of varsity experience last year coming off the bench.

"The thing that sticks out is our team speed," said head coach Randy Courtney. "We're not real big, which is nothing new. Our biggest strength is our quickness and our scrappiness.

"Our kids seem to be really focused. This bunch has worked extremely hard getting ready for this year."

The Lady Bulldogs will have four sophomores and two juniors who could be contributors coming up off of the junior varsity.

"I expect there's going to be some of them starting," said Courtney, whose team will open Nov. 18 playing host to Cooper before playing in the Big Spring tournament the first weekend of the season.