Basketball Heritage's Thompson surprises opponents, not coach

Shelby Thompson (above photo) with Rogers Heritage tries to take the ball to the hoop Tuesday during their game against Rogers High. (Top photo) Thompson is introduced before the game.
Shelby Thompson (above photo) with Rogers Heritage tries to take the ball to the hoop Tuesday during their game against Rogers High. (Top photo) Thompson is introduced before the game.

ROGERS -- Shelby Thompson scored just 38 points all of last season, despite playing in 24 games as a backup post player for Rogers Heritage.

She nearly equaled that total in a pair of games this season for the War Eagles.

On The Web

For more on this story, see the video at arpreps.com and nwadg.com

At A Glance

Shelby Thompson

SCHOOL Rogers Heritage

CLASS Senior

HEIGHT 5-10

POSITION Center

NOTABLE More than doubled her production, averaging just under eight points and five rebounds per game for the Lady War Eagles, after putting up just 1.6 points and two rebounds in 24 games as a junior. … Scored season high 18 points twice, including in Friday’s loss to Bentonville West. … Registered a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Fort Smith Southside in the Great 8 Classic. .. Also played soccer the past two seasons, but decided not to play this year.

7A-West Conference Basketball Standings

Girls

Team^Conference^Overall

Fayetteville^5-0^18-2

Van Buren^5-0^14-3

Rogers^3-2^11-7

Springdale^3-2^9-9

Bentonville^2-3^9-9

Springdale Har-Ber^1-4^10-8

Bentonville West^1-4^3-14

Rogers Heritage^0-5^6-12

Friday’s Scores

Rogers High 45, Bentonville 44

Bentonville West 60, Rogers Heritage 53

Van Buren 58, Springdale High 38

Fayetteville 63, Springdale Har-Ber 36

Tuesday’s Games

Fayetteville at Springdale, 6 p.m.

Springdale Har-Ber at Van Buren, 6 p.m.

Bentonville at Rogers Heritage, 6 p.m.

Rogers High at Bentonville West, 6 p.m.

Boys

Team^Conference^Overall

Springdale Har-Ber^5-0^14-5

Bentonville^4-1^9-9

Rogers Heritage^3-2^11-7

Van Buren^3-2^10-8

Bentonville West^2-3^9-9

Springdale^2-3^5-12

Fayetteville^1-4^6-11

Rogers^0-5^7-11

Friday’s Scores

Rogers Heritage 52, Bentonville West 47

Springdale Har-Ber 60, Fayetteville 59 (OT)

Van Buren 42, Springdale High 35 (OT)

Bentonville 69, Rogers High 37

Tuesday’s Games

Fayetteville at Springdale, 7:30 p.m.

Springdale Har-Ber at Van Buren, 7:30 p.m.

Bentonville at Rogers Heritage, 7:30 p.m.

Rogers High at Bentonville West, 7:30 p.m.

The 5-foot-10 senior post player garnered the first double-double of her career with 16 points and 11 rebounds in Heritage's win over Fort Smith Southside in the Great 8 Classic in early December. She followed that up with a career-high 18 points and nine rebounds two days later.

People talked early in the season to Heritage coach Scott Moore about how surprising Thompson's emergence has been, but he wasn't shocked at all.

"I've said all along it's not a surprise to me," said Moore, who in his his first year with the War Eagles. "From day one this summer I saw that in her. In our team camps, Shelby was one of our leading scorers. She's grown more and more into that role, and now we run some of our plays to her."

Thompson said added confidence has been a key to her improvement.

"Last year I was scared if I missed or did something wrong, I was gonna come out," Thompson said. "This year, I have more freedom to try things instead of being scared. I've gotten more confident as I've played through high school.

"This year I think I finish better through contact. Before, I would go up expecting to be hit, so I would put a little more power into it. But this year, I control it more."

Heritage (6-12, 0-5 7A-West Conference) is still looking for its first conference win as the first round of league play ends this week. But Thompson said the Lady War Eagles are working well together on and off the court.

"When we get in a rhythm we start hitting more shots and get more confident in everything we do," Thompson said. "We don't have any problem giving up the ball if someone else has a better shot. We've gotten really close off the court, and I think that helps us work better on the court."

Moore said Thompson has become a leader on and off the court for the Lady War Eagles.

"I think her biggest asset off the court is she's the team mom," Moore said. "She reminds everyone when practice is and what they need to do. Then she sets the tone for that, making sure that what we're trying to input on the court, she's making sure the girls know what we're doing."

Coaches have worked with Thompson on the court to fine-tune her game, which has translated to games this season, Moore said.

"We've worked with her as far as her footwork," Moore said. "She's a kid who wants to shoot a little turnaround jumper with a little drive and fade away from the basket. We've added a little up-and-under move to her game. A little shot fake so maybe she can draw some contact to shoot some more free throws.

"She's playing with a little higher motor, a little more motivated. And I think maybe she's even surprised herself. Now she's settled in and knows that's what we need from her every game."

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