Leopards look to play small ball this year
Jess Martin is in her 13th year as a coach at Malvern and her 19th year coaching in general. Her team notched an 18-14 overall record a year ago but won the conference with a 12-4 record. This year, the team will try to win from the perimeter because of a lack of height. Senior shooting guard Sierra Smith is the team’s returning starter. She averaged 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists a game last year. Martin said Smith is a college prospect and will have a big role this year. “She’s very athletic with a versatile skill set,” Martin said. Center and post play will be handled with a committee approach this year. An uptempo approach with lots of passing and outside shooting could help mask the team’s lack of size, the coach said. “We have a number of players who can make perimeter shots,” Martin said. Despite the lack of size, the Leopards have a good mixture of seniors and juniors. Young players will be counted on this season, though. They will have to step up, the coach said. Martin said their success “depends on how well our younger players develop and the leadership we receive from our seniors.” Arkadelphia is the team’s big rival. Those games are marked on the calendar for the Leopards. Last year, Malvern topped Arkadelphia by a total of five points in two contests. If team defense is strong this year and Sierra Smith takes the next step, the Leopards could be a force to be reckoned with in the competitive 4A-7 blended conference. They will be tested again in out-of-conference games. “We play hard all the time with good defense, tradition,” Martin said. Four seniors will contribute for the Leopards. Alayna Fields, Precious Macon, Trina Leach and Amarria Harper could become leaders on the team alongside Smith, the coach said. Juniors Tiaunica Henderson and Jasmyne Monk could also rally the troops. Sophomores Diamond Ollison, Shae Jumiel, Tiffany Monk and Kym Summerville will play a role as the young base of the team. Having early success could give the Leopards good experience for the years to come, Martin said. Rebounding will be a point of emphasis for the team, he said. Although his players are undersized, scrapping in the paint with good effort could help the team gain extra possessions. In the district tournament a year ago, Malvern was runner-up. This year, the team has a plan to overcome its flaws and a bright young star in Smith.