Maumelle boys have young team with big dreams
Maumelle graduated seven seniors last season, so with the help of assistant coaches Trey Lightfoot, Jeremy Hall and Jonathan Toombs, head coach Michael Shook will have to build a new foundation for his team. The Hornets ended the 2021-22 season 23-5 and 12-2 in the 5A-Central Conference and lost by 10 points to Vilonia in the first round of the playoffs. This year, Shook said, each player will have to find his strength and play fiercely.
“[This season] is going to be an opportunity to see where they grow, but what I love about this team is that the young ones are really talented, but all the way through, everyone is good at something as far as having a role,” the coach said. “The fun part of the coaching side this year is going to be putting that puzzle together and getting everyone to buy into their roles. If everyone will do that, we’ll have the chance to be solid.”
The team is young, with only one player with varsity experience. Senior Addison Shelton played at Little Rock’s Parkview High School last year, and because Parkview and Maumelle are in the same conference, Shelton has played big games and has skills that can help put the Hornets on top, Shook said.
“He can shoot the ball extremely well from both midrange and the 3-point,” the coach said. “He sees the floor well and will be able to create for others, but then also can play off the ball. He’s going to be an exceptional defender for us. He’s just an all-around good guard that does everything you want, and he’ll provide us some of that senior leadership.”
Among the starting players this year are junior Elijah Newell, sophomore Markalon Rochelle, 6-4, and freshman Jacob Lanier, 6-4.
“Newell is more of the catch-and-shoot, knock-down, open-3s [type of player],” Shook said. “Other guys will create and take to him. He will also be a good defender for us.”
Rochelle has the length and can block shots really well, the coach said, but has to become more vocal on the court.
“Rochelle is very athletic and is one of those do-it-all guys,” Shook said. “He can shoot the ball from the 3 and can get to the basket. With his athleticism, he dunks with ease. I think he’ll probably get the most highlights this year.”
Lanier is distinguished on the court by his praiseworthy skill and possesses a high basketball IQ, which leads him to see the floor well and make plenty of shots during a game, the coach said.
“That’ll be big for us with him having the ability to create shots for himself, but then also having that length and court vision [will be helpful],” he said.
Shook acknowledged that his players’ rebounding can be improved but will focus on their strengths, which are shooting and an agile style of playing.
“We like to play really fast, and with the shot clock coming into play this year, it definitely shouldn’t impact us,” he said. “I think it will impact some others, so I think that’ll be a strength for us. For us, it won’t be anything new.”
In the 10 years that Shook has been head coach, his team has made it to the playoffs nine times. He said that is always the hope but also understands that, realistically, the overall record may not be better than last year. He is embracing the commitment his players bring to the classroom and the court.
“Having a young group just building that team chemistry, that’s going to be an expectation,” he said. “We have spent a lot of time with that during the preseason, just trying to establish the right culture.”