North Pulaski Falcons

Conference: 5A Southeast

Coach: Roy Jackson (first year as head coach, previously assistant at Jacksonville and Lake Charles Boston High School in Lake Charles, La.)

Assistant coaches: Jack Russell and Jeremy Brown

2010-2011 record: Made the playoffs and lost to Alma in the semifinals. Finished second in conference behind Sylvan Hills, losing two games in conference — both to Sylvan Hills (18-12 overall).

Returning starters: Only one starter is back from last season. He is 6-7 senior center Jeremiah Hollis. He averaged about 7 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks per game in 2010.

Best inside players: Hollis is the inside guy for the Falcons. “He’s just a presence inside with his length and athletic ability. He can pose a big problem on defense with his shot blocking and changing up lots of shots,” coach Jackson said.

Best outside players: Daniel Drone, a 5-10 junior, will play shooting guard. “Last year, he came off the bench and got some playing time for coach Cooper, giving the team a spark. He’s been putting in a lot of work since the summer, shooting the ball real well during preseason practice. He is constantly in the gym, before and after practice, working on how he comes off screens and working on his shot,” the head Falcon said.

How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year? “Right now, we want to make the playoffs and be strong in the conference,” the coach said, noting that that would be similar to the 2010-2011 season. “Anytime you get to the playoffs, anything can happen.”

Strengths of the team: Speed and athleticism. “We will probably be doing a lot of pressing, both man and zone presses. We’ll be playing an up-and-down game, a lot like coach Anderson will be with the Razorbacks up in Fayetteville. We will use our strengths to push the pace. We may not be real big, but we have a lot of kids around 6-0 or 6-1, so we can push the game and get some easy baskets.”

Weaknesses of the team: Inexperience. On that, coach Jackson said, “A lot of our kids weren’t able to play the last couple of years. Now, it is their time. So, inexperience will be a factor early on, but I expect that later in the year, they’ll really make some noise.”

Games to watch: Coach Jackson pointed to matchups with crosstown rival Jacksonville, Sylvan Hills and Mills as big games. “I was an assistant over there at Jacksonville, so that’ll be interesting,” the coach said. “Plus, Victor Joyner is the head coach, so it will be mentor against pupil. As for Sylvan Hills, they’ve got Archie Goodwin and several other good kids over there. They’ve got several back from last season. Coach Cooper went from here to Mills, so that will also be a big game since we know each other.”

Toughest opponents: Pointing to the same three opponents as the toughest games this season for North Pulaski, the coach said, “There’ll be some good competition among that group, those three teams. We play in a tough conference and have a tough nonconference schedule, so there will be some intense, good games. Jacksonville will be tough because of its depth. Sylvan Hills is loaded, with its whole starting five back, and everywhere that coach Cooper has been, he’s has good teams. Now, he’s at Mills, and I expect the same there.”

College prospect: Hollis — “I believe that he will have a good opportunity to play college ball next year,” coach Jackson said, noting again that Hollis has athleticism, a big wingspan, good height and good defensive skills. “He’s been an unknown the last couple of years, but he’s coming on and will really surprise some people. Scouts will see him when they come to a game to watch others, so he’s going to be a sleeper in this year’s class.”

In a nutshell: “It’s a different team than last year, with a lot of kids that might not have gotten a chance to play the last couple of years getting to this year, and getting to show what they’ve got,” Jackson said. “We’re looking forward to making the playoffs and making a good run there in my first season here as head coach. The Falcons have a good tradition, and we plan on carrying it on.”

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