Conference: 5A-Central
Coach: Roy Jackson, third year at school
Assistant coach: Tirrell Brown
2012-2013 record: 10-13 overall, 3-11 in conference play
Returning starters: The Falcons were in contention in the majority of their losses last season, thanks to the play of senior guard Joe Aikens, 6-feet-3, who averaged 13 points per outing as a junior. Aikens, though, is one of only two returning starters for North Pulaski, which will try to contend for a berth in the postseason after missing out last year. Sophomore guard RaShawn Langston, 6-2, was second in scoring, averaging 12 points per game. Both Aikens and Langston had several big games last season. “Those two were our leading scorers, so we feel pretty blessed to have them back,” Jackson said. “Having them will give us a chance on any night.”
Best inside players: North Pulaski won’t possess a great deal of size, but Jackson is content with what he’s got, starting with senior forwards Steve Farrior, 6-2, and Andrew Wilson, 6-4. The duo will boast much of the workload inside for the Falcons.
Best outside players: Aikens and Langston are without a doubt the team’s top two perimeter players and are capable of changing the complexion of a game on defense just as they can on offense. But Jackson thinks several others will get a chance to step in and take some of the pressure off those two, namely senior guard Aaren Scruggs, 5-11, the team’s best shooter, and senior guard Fred Thomas, 5-10.
How will you match/exceed/fall short of your success from last year? Jackson is confident that his team can far exceed what was accomplished last year. North Pulaski jumped out of the gates quick, winning seven of its first nine games. But once conference play began, the Falcons struggled. If the Falcons are to compete with the top-tier teams in the league, they have to win on the road and find ways to pull out victories in close games.
Team strengths: Guard play, as well as the overall depth of the Falcons, will help them overcome some of their inadequacies, Jackson said. “That’s what we’ll hang our hat on,” he said. “We’re not that big, but we’ve got big guards. That should help us create some matchup problems for other teams. We’ve got a lot of quickness, and we’re athletic. So I’m hoping we’ll be able to wear some teams down late in games.”
Team weaknesses: As Jackson mentioned, size is the team’s main detriment. Wilson is the Falcons’ tallest player. Still, the Falcons may find themselves severely undersized against bigger teams and will be forced to play small ball to an extent. “We’ve just got to work even harder in certain situations,” Jackson said. “Sometimes, we’ll have four guards and one big man out there. We’re definitely guard-oriented.”
Games to watch: A few of the team’s players are still playing football, but Jackson should have his entire team by the time the season opener rolls around on Nov. 14 against Pulaski Robinson. The third-year coach hopes a strong start can lead to a better finish to the season.
Toughest opponent: Jacksonville, the defending 5A state champs and the Falcons’ fierce cross-town rival, lost a lot of talent from last season but is expected to again be one of the top teams in not only its class, but also the state. Jackson also believes that Mills, Little Rock McClellen and Pulaski Academy will also have very good teams. “It’s going to be a dogfight every night,” he said. “Those guys will all be good. It’s a tough conference overall, very tough. We know that, but we’re going to go out there and battle, regardless.”
College prospects: Aikens is expected to sign early with the Air Force Academy, while Langston is getting numerous looks from Division I schools, including Arkansas and LSU, Jackson said. He also mentioned that a couple others are getting Division II and NAIA looks as well.
In a nutshell: Despite being in a tough conference, the Falcons have what it takes to contend for a state-tourney berth. With their top two scorers back and a great deal of athleticism on the wing, North Pulaski may be on the verge of a breakthrough season. But Jackson isn’t about to count his eggs before they hatch. “We’re a work in progress,” he said. “Things have gone well. The team has a great attitude, and they’re working really hard. We want to be one of the top four teams in the conference at the end of the year, and we think we have what it takes to do that. We still have to go out there and show it, though.”