Role players shift to starters for Panthers

Expectations will be raised this year for the Benton Panthers as several role players from last season will be asked to amp up their performance, head coach Dexter Hendrix said. “Their role has to increase,” Hendrix said. “That is something that is going to take time — trying to figure out what our roles are and what our expectations are each and every game.” Benton only returns two starters — seniors Evan Simms and Jai Peters — from a year ago after the team finished 20-9, losing to Pine Bluff in the first round of the 6A state tournament. “Evan Simms is a terrific kid,” Hendrix said. “He works hard for us every day in practice. As a sophomore, he didn’t play a lot of minutes, but I think he really improved his game between his sophomore and junior seasons. “Last year, he was more of a role player, providing a lot of minutes. He’s a four man who can play a little bit of five for us. He’s a 6-5 guy who can really shoot the basketball really well — shoots at a high rate.” Hendrix, who is in his fourth season at Benton, said Simms runs great, transitions great and really runs the floor. “His length and size really help him rebound the ball,” Hendrix said. “This year, his role is really going to have to increase. “He is going to have to be one of those guys we can count on each and every night to be successful.” Peters averaged 16 points per game last year to lead the team in scoring. “He is really strong with his left hand and finishes well around the rim,” Hendrix said. “He can really rebound the ball well from the point-guard position, and that’s going to be the biggest thing for him and our team.” Last year, Peters played shooting guard, and the coach described him as a shooter and driver. “He will have to keep that mentality for us, but this year, he is going to have to play the point,” Hendrix said. “We’ve still got a lot of question marks with our team, and that was a big one: Who were we going to fit in that role? “And Jai has really fit that well for us. He wants to get his teammates involved, more than he wants to shoot. He really likes to be a leader of this team offensively.” In the first seven weeks, Hendrix and his staff have stressed conditioning and strength increase for the Panthers. “We put our guys on a strict diet where we really want them to gain muscle and gain a lot of strength,” Hendrix said. “They have to eat so many calories a day, and we track that. “We are also really trying to hit the weights hard. We want to get [the players] physically ready for the season, so we are always running, trying to get in the best shape we can be for this upcoming season.” And the coach said that for some, those efforts are already paying off. Senior post player Conner Croft has gained 10 pounds already, a majority of it muscle. “He has had a really good summer for us,” Hendrix said. “He has done a good job of putting on weight and has really done a good job in the weight room this preseason. “He can change the game a lot more with his size and strength. His ability to block and contest shots around the basket allows us to have that big presence, which is something we really didn’t have last year.” Hendrix said he is counting on Croft to “really change things up for us defensively.” “We want him to be more aggressive around the rim and basket,” the coach said. Junior shooting guard Carson Cates is up to 6-4 now and really shoots the ball at a high level, Hendrix said. “He is the most consistent guy shooting the 3 ball,” he said. “He’s had a really good summer, and he is in the gym all the time.” Junior Sawyer Oulch is not afraid to do the dirty work. “He has good guard skills and handles the ball well,” Hendrix said. “He does a good job finding people open. “If we can get him more consistent from the outside, shooting the 3, that will really help us.” The coach said junior Grant Sheltnut can really shoot the basketball, and junior Malek McClendon is an “extremely athletic forward.” “He is a real energetic player,” Hendrix said. Hendrix said Carl Ross and Cates are definitely the best 3-point shooters on the team. “Carl has really grown up, matured and changed his body in the weight room,” Hendrix said. “We are excited about what he can bring.” Hendrix said he is really proud of the season his team had last year, as 20 wins is not an easy thing to do. “But we are looking to build on that, and the way to do that is just be in the best shape we can be,” Hendrix said.