BOYS
Conference: 4-3A
Coach: Dusty Wright, seventh year at school
Assistant coach: Lucian Welch
2011-12 record: 19-10, conference champions, district runner-up
Returning starters: Machenzie Garner (6-foot-3 center) returns as a senior looking to score more points this year, Wright said. “Last year he didn’t score a whole lot because he had a ton of big scorers all around him, and he was working as a defender.” This year he’s expected to step up in a big way as the only returning starter on the team.
Best inside player: Wright expects junior Stephen Ramirez (6-0 power forward) to be especially powerful inside, though he’s a versatile player who can move around. “He’s a very smart player who brings a lot of toughness,” Wright said. “He likes to get in there and be physical. He has the ability to handle the basketball and help us against smaller teams.”
Best outside players: Sophomore Jay Trustey (6-0 small forward) was moved up at the end of his freshman year and stands out for his ability to shoot from anywhere, Wright said. Senior Tanner Mantooth (5-10 shooting guard) should also be a standout. “He didn’t play a whole lot last year, but I think he’s going to be a good leader for us,” Wright said. “He goes out and does what needs to be done.”
How will you exceed your success from last year? “We’re going to be very young this year,” Wright said. But coming off back-to-back conference championships means the team knows what it takes to win, the coach said. Danville moved from Class 2A to 3A this year, and the change in class means getting to know new opponents.
Strengths of the team: “I think we’re going to be relying on our depth,” Wright said. “We’ll be playing a lot of kids.” Danville is known for being especially strong on the defensive ends, and Wright plans to continue their habit of playing hard-pressure defense to force teams to “get out of their usual patterns.”
Weaknesses of the team: With many players currently playing football, Wright said, the team will be getting a late start on practice. Size is also a concern. “We’re small. … Machenzie is one of the tallest guys we’ve got,” Wright said. “We’re not going to be very big, and we’re going to have to make up for that.”
Games to watch: “I think anytime we get together with Two Rivers, it’s going to be exciting since they’re 10 minutes down the road,” Wright said. “It’s a pretty-heated rivalry.”
Toughest opponent: Charleston. “They’ve won this conference, … it seems like 45 years in a row,” Wright said. “We hope that when we play teams like Charleston and Lamar that they’ll be fun.”
College prospects: “I think Trustey has a good chance if he chooses to,” Wright said. “His basketball IQ is just phenomenal on the court. He knows what’s going to happen, and he always plays one step ahead.” Trustey is also a talented golfer, and Wright could see him playing either sport on the college level.
In a nutshell: “We’re very young in terms of floor time,” Wright said. With only one returning starter and a schedule full of new 3A teams to play, the team will need to spend the first few games getting their feet under them. “We’ll be learning as we go,” Wright said.
GIRLS
Conference: 4-3A
Coach: Stuart Creamer, first year at school
Assistant coach: Jessica Carroll
2011-12 record: 24-8, made it to the second round of the state tournament
Returning starters: Emily Tramel (5-foot-2 point guard); and Mariah Durrough (5-6 shooting guard)
Best inside player: Tora Eggleton (5-8 junior) is willing to work hard at center, spreading her competitive attitude as a leader on the team, Creamer said. She’ll need to increase her scoring as one of the team’s anchors, but Creamer thinks she’s up to the challenge.
Best outside player: Lynna Metcalf (5-5 senior) is a huge shooter for the team, and Creamer expects her to join Eggleton, Tramel and Durrough as the group who will lead the team this season. “On any given night, they’ll switch out who leads us in scoring, but it’s going to be one of them,” Creamer said.
How will you exceed your success from last year? New to the school, Creamer is preaching communication and ownership to the girls this season.
“I want the players to rely on each other and be proud of themselves,” Creamer said.
That means having players constantly engaged in practice, even if they’re on the sidelines. The team lost their previous coach, Kevin Moore, when he moved to Little Rock early last season. The team played the remainder of their games under the direction of the school’s athletic director. Creamer hopes coaching consistency will benefit the team this season.
Strengths of the team: Creamer points to the winning tradition at Danville as helping move the team forward.
“They’ve made the state tournament seven of the last eight years,” Creamer said. The coach expects the team to shine on offense with several strong shooters.
Weaknesses of the team: “We don’t have as much depth as Danville is used to having,” Creamer said. With just 11 girls on the roster (three seniors, four juniors and four sophomores), many of the younger players need more playing time to hone their skills, Creamer said. The school was moved from Class 2A to 3A this year, which will add an additional challenge.
Games to watch: Charleston had been a rival in the past, and now that Danville has moved to 3A, Creamer expects the game to be a big one.
Toughest opponent: Charleston, Lamar and Paris will be tough on the girls, Creamer said. “Paris has been on the rise. This is the second year for their coach, with several students returning.”
College prospects: None.
In a nutshell: It’s a year of firsts for the Danville girls, with a new coach and a new class of schools to compete with. The team was at first hesitant to trust Creamer, who had previously coached at nearby rival Western Yell County, he said. “Once we started practicing and they realized that I knew what it took to win, they started to understand,” Creamer said. If Durrough — one of the best shooters in the league, Creamer said — Metcalf, Eggleton and Tramel step up in terms of points and leadership, Creamer expects a good season.