Panthers hope to keep postseason streak alive
The Cabot Panthers lost four starters from last year’s team that went 20-7 and advanced to the second round of the Class 7A state tournament. Longtime Cabot coach Jerry Bridges said his team will be challenged this year to keep up the pace of what his previous few teams have done. Two years ago, Cabot shocked the state by winning the Class 7A state championship. “What I feel like that I have is good is, I do have a good senior group,” Bridges said. “We don’t have height. We’re going to get after people.” His senior class includes Jared Vance, Carson Walker, Mario May, Christian Weir, Landon Vaught, Jalen Brown, Richard Blalock, Noah Allgood and Aiden Shurley. I feel like there are some things we do real well,” Bridges said. “We can shoot the ball. Our guards play well.” Guards include Brown, Weir, Vance, May and Vaught. The lone returning starter is Brown, who averaged 4.5 points and 2 assists per game last season. Allgood, who is 6-3, is the most experienced post player for the Panthers, the coach said. “He does a good job. … I just wish he was a little taller, but he’s not,” Bridges said. “Noah knows he’s got to play bigger than he is. In practice, he’s been showing that.” Bridges said he is worried about depth. “We’ve got to keep getting that better,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of seniors. A lot of them haven’t played a lot of quality minutes, but we can shoot it. We’re just undersized.” A year ago, Cabot was loaded with big players, including 6-8 Matt Stanley, who is playing basketball at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia; and Logan Gilbertson, who is playing baseball at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. “We’ve accepted that fact,” Bridges said of his team’s lack of height. “We’re not going to let that be an excuse. We’re going to get out there and get after you. Our goal is to get to that state tournament. You can’t win it if you don’t get there. That’s what we’re going to try to do.” Prior to Bridges becoming head coach at Cabot during the 2004-05 season, Cabot had not made a state tournament since 1978. Bridges’ 2007-08 squad made the Class 7A state tournament and hasn’t missed it since. Bridges also said his team will guard well this season. “We’re not as tall as we’ve been the past few years,” he said, “but we’ll figure this out as we get going.”
Bridges said Cabot is working hard every day. “We got a little tired at the end of practice today (Oct. 13), and that is to be expected,” he said. “I told them, ‘I don’t make it easy during the week. You’re going to be a little tired if you have been getting after it.’ “This group of seniors has pride. A few of them have gotten time in the past few years. They care. They don’t want it dropping off. We’re going to get to that state tournament. They don’t want a new streak to start with them. That is what I appreciate about them.” Cabot plays in the tough 7A-Central with Bryant, Little Rock Catholic, Little Rock Central, Conway, North Little Rock, Fort Smith Northside and Fort Smith Southside. The Panthers will also play in tournaments at Van Buren and Russellville. “I feel we have a good schedule that is going to prepare us for our conference,” Bridges said. Cabot will open the season Nov. 7.