By Chris Parker
Lamar girls basketball graduated some key players from last season’s 10-16 squad, which means there will be a few new faces in new places this season.
“This summer the girls really grew together and accepted new roles,” Lamar head coach Derek Judd said. “We lost two big pieces for us in Zavrie Wiss and Kynlee McCullogh, so we asked the girls to play some spots they weren’t used to. All of them were willing to step into these new spots. Our trip to Branson was a great opportunity for them to bond and have fun.”
Four seniors return for the Lady Tigers in Baylee Heckadon, Breanna Morey, Lydia Nolting and Rowan Parks.
Heckadon led the group in every major state category at 7 points per game with 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
“Baylee has the ability to use her length to her advantage on both sides of the court,” Judd said. “She put a lot of work in this summer on shooting and ball handling. Baylee is a coachable kid who wants to win as much as anyone I know.”
Morey contributed 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
“Brenna has a motor that doesn’t stop,” Judd said. “She’s always been one of the hardest workers on any team she’s been a part of. She always has a smile on her face and is ready to work.”
Nolting is a strong defender who scored 1.5 points per game with 2 rebounds.
“Lydia brings intensity to the defensive side of the floor,” Judd said. “If there’s one thing I can say for certainty with Lydia it’s that when a shot goes up she will be blocking someone out; every single time.”
Parks was at 1.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal per game as a junior.
“Rowan has a good basketball IQ and a smooth jump shot,” Judd said. “We will be looking for her to use her handles to be more aggressive on the offensive and push the ball up the floor in transition.”
Juniors Jaxsyn Lovan and Taryn Querry also return.
“Jaxsyn improved a lot over the summer and got good experience playing against tough competition. We expect a lot of good things from her on varsity this year,” Judd said. “Taryn is an excellent shooter and playmaker. She also brings a lot of toughness when she’s on the floor. We expect her to show what she’s capable of this year on varsity.”
Chislyn Dixon returns for her sophomore season after making an immediate varsity impact as a freshman scoring 12.5 points per game and pulling down 6 rebounds per game. She also had 2.7 steals and 1.5 assists per game.
“Chrislyn has a big freshman year,” Judd said. “Her length and athleticism bring so much to both sides of the floor. She can put up points from outside and inside the paint, which makes her very hard to guard.”
Length and speed will be a theme for the roster.
“Our biggest strength this year will be our length and speed,” Judd said. “We want to play a very fast paced brand of basketball that’s fun to play and watch. We have an experienced team with a group of girls that want to succeed. This summer was an excellent opportunity for them all to bond and the team chemistry is really good right now.”
Lamar opens the season Dec. 1-6 at the Gem City Classic in Diamond.
“For this to be considered a successful season we’d love to see the girls playing their best come districts,” Judd said. “We play a very tough schedule, and that should prepare us for districts.”
