Conference: 4A-4
Coach: Kenny McCoy (first year at Dardanelle; 24th overall)
Assistant coach: Mary Buford
2010-11 record: 9-11 overall (2-6 in conference)
Returning starters: The Lady Lizards have several players with starting experience. AlleaBelle Gongola, a senior, averaged 6 points per game. Senior Mallory Brown averaged 4 ppg. Senior Summer Dawson averaged 1 ppg. Juniors with starting experience include Rusti Tharp (1 ppg), Kortlin Cunningham (4 ppg), Makayla Crow (6 ppg), Amy Duncan (3 ppg), Hope Huffman (1 ppg) and Miranda Possage.
Best inside players: McCoy said Duncan, Brown and Crow had all worked hard during the fall and should show a lot of improvement during the season.
Best outside players: Gongola, a 5-7 senior, and Cunningham, a 5-2 junior. Gongola is Dardanelle’s leader and most consistent player. “She has improved her willingness to shoot the ball and that should carry into a good season for her and for us,” McCoy said.
How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year? McCoy said the Lady Lizards’ expectations are to get better every day, whether in practice or in games. “We expect to show improvement on both ends of the floor from last year,” he said.
Strengths of the team: McCoy said he expected the Lady Lizards to be much improved on defense. Rebounding — on both the offensive and defensive end — should be better.
Weaknesses of the team: The Lady Lizards will be searching for offensive consistency, the coach said.
Games to watch: McCoy is approaching 1,000 wins over his career, but with the 2011-12 season his first at Dardanelle, he said he wasn't sure if he could single out a particular game or opponent. “Our conference games, of course, will be very big for us,” he said.
Toughest opponent: McCoy said Pottsville, Waldron, Clarksville and Dover have traditionally reached regional play out of the 4A-4, so he figures they will be the Lady Lizards’ toughest opponents.
College prospects: None.
In a nutshell: “I think that this can be an exciting team to watch before the season is over,” McCoy said. “There are some girls who are beginning to dedicate themselves to the game, and they have the capability of helping us show a greatly improved team.”