Basketball fans saw a whole different team run onto the court at the first home game of the season.
With only six returning varsity players, none of them last year’s starters, the boys basketball team will have a few obstacles to overcome.
“We lost 10 people off last year’s team. So, yes, we are all new from a varsity perspective,” coach Michael Abrahamson said. “I love the team, though.”
Despite the team’s general lack of inexperience, the boys racked up eight three-pointers against the Ft. Smith Southside Rebels, winning, 56 to 38, at the first home game, Nov. 20.
“We are athletic and skilled,” Abrahamson said. “We are a little undersized and inexperienced, but I believe we will overcome those obstacles by the way we practice.”
The starting line up so far has been senior Zach Cambron, juniors CJ Rainey, Tyler Simmons and Greyson Giles and sophomore KJ Hill. This differs greatly from last year’s mostly senior-filled court.
“Yes, we are a different team because most of [the players] haven’t played varsity before,” Cambron said. “They were timid at first because we have big shoes to fill, but we all get along really well.”
Although this is his first year on varsity, Hill said playing with upperclassmen is nothing to him.
“It feels just the same,” Hill said. “I’m used to it in basketball from AAU competition.”
The team’s latest victory was against North Pulaski at the Conway Tournament, 74 to 51, Dec. 3. Hill was the lead scorer with 17 points followed by Rainey with 16, Tyler Simmons with 15, Giles with 13 and Cambron with 8.
“It was a regular game for me,” Hill said. “We had a good game with good defense. We were all clicking.”
The team had 34 free throws in the game, which Abrahamson said was an important part of their victory.
“We really attacked the basket and shot 34 free throws in that game,” Abrahamson said. “Our effort is always a key, and the guys played really hard that night, as they usually do.”
The win against North Pulaski was the team’s fourth win in five days and plays Jacksonville next in the Conway Tournament, Dec 7.
Abrahamson said Jacksonville will definitely present a challenging game, but the team has a plan.
“They have a Division 1 point guard, so slowing him down will be a key,” Abrahamson said. “They are used to winning with an aggressive, physical defense and a sharp offense and are very well-coached. We will need to rebound the basketball well, using their pressure defense against them and have the confidence of an upper echelon team to win this game.”
