Conference: 4A-2
Coach: Ben Lindsey (first year at Clinton. Lindsey was an assistant to Mike Anderson at the University of Missouri the past five years. Anderson is now the head coach at the University of Arkansas.)
Assistant coaches: Lance Campbell
Last year’s record: 3-20 (finished last in the 4A-2)
Returning starter: Michael Sykes, a 6-foot-3 senior post
Best inside players: Sykes and Kendall Bates (6-2 senior)
Best perimeter players: Park Parish, a 5-10 senior and Taylor Gray, a 6-2 senior
How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year? Wins were hard to come by last season, so Lindsey wants his squad to learn what winning feels like early in the season. “Right now the kids have to learn how to win. They are working hard,” he said. “They have to play smart and take care of the ball.” Playing for a new coach also has its adjustment phase. Lindsey said there will be some similarities to what he and coach Anderson did at Missouri, but their systems “are not mirror images of what we’re trying to do here. They are learning something completely different and it’s a new system with a new coach,” Lindsey said.
Strengths of team: The coach said he has been most pleased with his team’s work ethic. “They come to work every day and give me their best effort, no matter how long or how short our practices are. When we’re out here, they’re giving 100 percent and that will only make them better,” Lindsey said.
Weaknesses of team: Lindsey said he’s ready for his team to play against a different color jersey. “We’re playing ourselves right now, so I’m anxious to see how we do when there are people in the seats and there’s a little adversity. There’s a big difference between practice and games,” he said.
Games to watch: Lindsey said all of the games are important to him, but “from a fan standpoint, I’d say Marianna because they were really good last year, and Heber Springs because of the rivalry they have here.”
Toughest opponent: “They’re all going to be tough for us. We will have to approach them all the same,” Lindsey said.
College prospects: There may be one or two players capable of playing at the next level, but Lindsey said it’s too early to tell right now.