Conference: 5A Southeast
Coach: Bobby Vaughn (second year at school, first year there and overall as head coach)
Assistant coach: Stacy Dalmut
2010-2011 record: Won only one game in entire season, finished in last place in conference.
Returning starters: Three starters are back. Jacquelin Moragne (5-4 senior guard) will work the 2 spot, while Shayla Evans (5-7 junior guard) will go at either shooting guard or small forward. Moragne and Evans combined to average around 7 points per game, but the team averaged only 20 per game. Also back is Cathy Waylan (5-9 junior forward), who averaged about 5 points per contest.
Best inside players: “Waylan has gotten more physical from last year,” coach Vaughn said. “She worked hard all summer trying to get better at her post moves, her inside game and handling the basketball.” Vaughn added that a new girl who measures 6-1 is an unknown and could help out under the glass. Also, 5-10 Talisha Nation is back. The junior forward was the team’s leading shot blocker a year ago, averaging about 5 blocks per game.
Best outside players: “Haley Hudson (5-5) didn’t play last year. She is a senior and will be at point guard,” the Lady Falcons leader said. “She’s going to run the offense and handle the basketball. She’ll take on the role that we didn’t have anybody to fill last year. She will dish the ball and let people do their job, but she can take over the game if she needs to.”
How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last season? “I really think that the effort we’ve been putting out and the system we’re going to run will make a difference,” coach Vaughn said. “We’re athletic, but we’re not a great team yet. I had a buddy ask me what type of defense we’ll be running. I told him, ‘We’ll be on them as soon as they get off the bus.’ We’ll press and hopefully make them give up the ball. We want to get up and down the floor. We’re not a half-court style of team.”
Strengths of the team: Vaughn pointed to athleticism and teamwork as team positives. “The girls like each other and work well together,” he said. “That was not the case last year.”
Weaknesses of the team: “We are inexperienced. We haven’t had a ninth-grade team in three years. We’ve finally got one this year, and hopefully, that’ll help us. I don’t know what the issue is there, but I’m trying to fix it,” the coach said.
Games to watch: Games against Crossett, Helena-West Helena and Pulaski Mills should be good ones, Vaughn said. “Those games will be key turning points for us, I feel. It’s important that we play well in those games. We have a tough nonconference schedule as well.”
Toughest opponent: “Watson Chapel is the toughest team we’ll play, no doubt,” Vaughn said. “Next year, with the new alignment, it will not be any better,” he added, pointing to the next classification cycle assignments and what will then be called the 5A Central.
College prospects: No comment.
In a nutshell: “The main thing we’re doing right is make sure that we understand how to be good. We must have a winning attitude, work hard and act right. We haven’t had that here in the past,” Vaughn said.