BENTON HARMONY GROVE CARDINALS

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK — BOYS

Conference: 2A-5 South

Coach: Richard Moore (year at school:

second; career record: 26-9)

Assistant coach: Brandon Kelly (first

year)

Last year’s record: 26-9 (first in con

ference/thirteenth in 2A State Tourna

ment)

Returning starters: Seniors Andrew

Rogers (5-9), Trey Gibeault (5-8), Bran

don Nash (6-2), and Zac Morgan (6-

1).

Best inside players: Nash and 6-2 se

nior Jared Warford. “They are still a

work in progress but they are getting

better every day,” Moore said. “We are

focusing on rebounding and posting up

with our backs to the basket.”

Best outside players: Morgan, Rogers,

and Gibeault. “They have a lot of game

experience since they started and played

a lot of minutes last season,” Moore said.

“They have tremendous on court work

ethic. Everyday they are in the gym

working on there shots and getting

repetitions in.”

Strengths of the team: “Our guard play

is out top strength right now,” Moore

said. “Also our depth is huge. We still

have guys fighting every day for the

starting spot because there are not any

spots nailed down.”

Weaknesses of the team: “Shooting

is our biggest concern at this point,”

Moore said. “We really worked on get

ting repetitions this summer but it is still

and issue of being inconsistent.”

Games to watch: Hector And Cutter

Morning Star. The Cardinals beat Cutter

in a close battle last season at home by a

score of 42-41. Hector was the runner

up to the Cardinals last year.

In a nutshell: The Cardinals lost cen

ter Colton McDaniels but have a lot of

returning experience. The returning

starters will have to step-up big if the

Cardinals plan on repeating their suc

cess from last season.

GIRLS

Conference: 2A-5 South

Coach: Brad Matthews (year at school:

second; career record: 78-84)

Assistant coaches: Ricky Mooney

(second year)

Last year’s record: 6-21 (eighth in

conference)

Returning starters: Seniors Lauren

McNeely (5-5), Lauren Martin (5-2),

and Notie Lewis (5-6)

Best inside players: “I do not have

any one player that is an inside player

because we play everywhere,” Mat

thews said. “Lewis played inside for

most of her career but I moved her

out to the perimeter last season along

with playing inside.”

Best outside players: McNeely with

her quickness and ability to shoot the

ball from beyond the arc gives her a

sharp weapon at the guard spot.

Strengths of the team: “I think that

our toughness and defense will be alot better this year,” Matthews said.

“Depth will really be good this year.

We have 10 or 11 players that we can send out to the floor every night.” Weaknesses of the team: “One thing that is hurting us is that we really do not have any size in the terms of height,” Matthews said. “If we do not block out every time then that will hurt us inside. We can not afford to give up offensive rebounds and second chances.” Games to watch: Danville and Glen Rose will be great games to watch this year for the Lady Cardinals. “Danville is always tough especially coming off of a 2A state title, they are going to be good again this year,” Matthews said.

In a nutshell: The Lady Cardinals are coming off a tough losing season, but Matthews has high hopes for this year. With experience and depth, the Lady Cardinals should be pretty hard to beat this season.

CARDINALS SCHEDULE

Oct. 23 ...............................@ Lisa Academy

Oct. 30 ..................................... @ Ouachita

Nov. 6 ......................................... Sparkman

Nov. 10 ................................... @ Glen Rose

Nov. 13 ..................................Abundant Life

Nov. 17 ............................................. Poyen

Nov. 20 ........................................ @ Hector

Nov. 23 .................................Mountain Pine

Nov. 24 .............................. @ Magnet Cove

Dec. 4 ........................ @ Cutter Morning Star

Dec. 8 ......................................... @ Danville

Dec. 11 ........................................Mount Ida

Dec. 14 ........................................ @ Bauxite

Dec. 17 ...................................... @ Bismarck

Jan. 5 .............................Western Yell County

Jan. 12 .............................................. @ Ola

Jan. 15 ............................... @ Mountain Pine

Jan. 19 .............................................. Hector

Jan. 22 ...........................Cutter Morning Star

Jan. 26 ............................................ Danville

Jan. 29 ..................................... @ Mount Ida

Feb. 2 ........................@ Western Yell County

Feb. 5 ................................................... Ola

Feb. 9 .................................... Lisa Academy

Feb. 12 ........................................Glen Rose

This article was published October 25, 2009 at 7:36 a.m.

Tri-Lakes, Pages 182 on 10/25/2009

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