Batesville Pioneers

Conference: 5A East

Coaching: Jeremy Cude, 11th season as head coach, 12th season in coaching and first at Batesville

2012-13 record: “Since this is my first year here, I’m not sure of last year’s record,” Cude said. “I know they only won two. I’m guessing around 2-20.”

Returning starters: Cude said there are no full-time starters returning to the team this year, but part-time starters returning are Eli Childress and Kenton Crawford.

Best inside players: Garrett Denton, Griffin McCowen, Justin Gallant, Dillon Daniels and Cory Goodwin.

Best outside players: Eli Childress, Kenton Crawford, Riley Caraway, Wyatt Jones and Jordan Garner.

How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year: “In terms of games won, we definitely hope to win many more than two games. First, we must change the mentality,” Cude said. “We have to learn to act like winners, like champions; and once we start acting like champions, then we will begin to play that way. As long as we don’t believe we are winners, then we won’t be. If we can learn to act and play like champions this year, then we will be more successful than the last few years and will be on our way to becoming champions.”

Team strengths: Size and athleticism. “We will have several athletic players between 6-2 and 6-6, all of which are continuing to get stronger and becoming even better athletes,” Cude said.

Team weaknesses: To compete in this conference, we must become better decision makers especially when it comes to shot selection and passing the ball; we have to become more physical on defense and on rebounding, and we have to improve our ball handling and shooting.

Games to watch/toughest opponent/rivalry: “All games in the 5A East are great games to watch,” Cude said. “Because of location and lack of success, Batesville doesn’t have a natural rivalry with any school in the conference. However, it is our goal to become the most hated and most respected team in the 5A East.”

In a nutshell: “We want to be the most physical, toughest and hardest-working team on the floor each night we play. We hope to rebuild the once-great tradition of Batesville Pioneer basketball and get the community excited about basketball again. We need everyone to get behind these young men now and start supporting them. The more that jump in now, the faster the entire process will be,” Cude said.

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