New coach looks to rebuild foundation for Lady Titans
The Jacksonville Lady Titans have just two returning starters after ending last season with an overall record of 21-10 and a 5A Central Conference record of 13-1, losing only to Little Rock Christian. Former assistant coach Rodney Gilmore is the head coach this year and shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming season, but said he will need to rebuild the program’s foundation with patience and precision.
“I am optimistic about the future,” he said. “You just don’t replace the players that left. You have to regroup, and that is the phase we are in. We have a really young group. I have a couple of seniors coming back who played significant minutes for us last year, but I am looking at this freshman group. A few of them are going to be playing this year and are just going to have to fill the load.”
Gilmore said the four seniors who graduated were starters and provided the bulk of the team’s points, but this year, he has two strong senior guards who will lead the pack: Mariah Fudge, 5-8, and Elizabeth Boyd, 5-5.
Fudge is really quick on her feet and plays a lot of sports, which makes her athletic and a great asset to the team, Gilmore said.
“She’s improved greatly on her outside shot and is quick getting to the basket,” he continued. “She’s got a lot of positives right now and is one of the grandmothers of the group.”
Boyd will also be vital to the team this season, as she will be running the points and is an effective teacher for the younger players, the coach said.
“She is very knowledgeable about offense, very demonstrative and a teacher on the floor,” he said. “She knows everything, knows where to go and puts people in the right places. My young group of freshmen loves her, and if they can love my point guard as a senior, they can learn from her.”
Gilmore also mentioned sophomore Alexis Keomoungkhoune as one of the best inside players he has this year.
“She will do inside work for us, so I’m counting on her doing a good job,” the coach said. “Her jumping is looking very good.”
And although inexperience is a downfall for the team right now, Gilmore said he is enthusiastic because he knows that his team is gaining knowledge and working hard.
“They are always going to keep the same work ethic,” he said. “That was the foundation that the former coach and I built. We are going to maintain discipline and make sure we learn, and as coaches, we have to make sure we teach. Everybody is held accountable.”
He also acknowledged that the conference is tough. The Lady Titans lost to Marion by just one point in the second round of the playoffs last year, so every game is going to be a new challenge this season.
“Every game that comes across the table will be a game to watch,” the coach said. “Those are the games we are going to have to learn, and it’s tough to teach a team how to win. We set a standard here in Jacksonville, and my mission is to keep that same standard and to keep everything still going. It’s going to be tough, but I ask the fans of Jacksonville to please be patient with me.”