Lady Mustangs want to defend state championship

Hoxie’s Lady Mustangs won their last eight games of the 2016-17 season after losing to Osceola in the semifinals of the district tournament. Those last games included a win in the Class 3A state-championship game. Hoxie finished 30-6, beating Valley Springs 51-40 to win the state title at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs last March. After losing to Osceola on Feb. 16, the Lady Mustangs beat Corning in the third-place game of the district tournament. They beat Clinton, Osceola and Valley Springs in the regional tournament. The Lady Mustangs then beat Harding Academy, Jessieville and Greenland to advance to the state-championship game against Valley Springs. Hoxie returns three starters from last year’s squad, including junior all-state performer Sydney Gillham, junior Kaitlin Henson and sophomore Emily Davis. Gillham was the most valuable player of the Class 3A state tournament. She averaged 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Henson averaged 9.2 points and 6 rebounds per game. Davis averaged 7 points and 7 assists per game. “We hope to continue to build on the success that we were able to produce last year,” fourth-year Hoxie coach Mike Chipman said. “Our schedule is tougher this year, but we hope to be competitive.” Chipman said his best inside players are Gilliam and Henson. “Both are 6-feet tall and can score inside and outside,” Chipman said. “Both run the floor very well.” Chipman said his team’s strength is its ability to score. “We will have five kids on the floor at all times that can score,” he said. “We have a much deeper bench this year and kids who know how to win.” Hoxie’s schedule is challenging as the Lady Mustangs play Batesville in the season opener Nov. 13. They play defending Class 1A state champion Bay on Dec. 7, then play Riverside on Dec. 8. Chipman has several players who he thinks can play at the collegiate level. They are Gillham, Henson, Davis, Tessa Glenn and Clayton. “Sydney is a 6-0 junior who can do it all,” Chipman said. “She can shoot the 3, play with her back to the basket, handle the ball well, run and move well.” Chipman said Henson is a similar player. “She can stop out and shoot the 3,” he said. “She’s aggressive at the rim and runs the floor well.” Davis plays point guard. “She has great court vision, handles the ball well against pressure and shoots really well,” Chipman said. Glenn recently moved to Hoxie. “She will play the 2 guard,” Chipman said. “She can shoot extremely well, finishes around the rim well and is a strong, physical defender.” Chipman said he looks forward to the season. “You can expect this group to be fun to watch,” he said. “They all can run well and can score. Even though they are young, we should still be very competitive every night out.”