Boys basketball seeing improvement
■ Several Panthers have made strides in summer workouts.
Siloam Springs boys basketball coach Tim Stewart is pleased with the work his team has put in this summer.
The Panthers wrapped up their final workout of the summer on Thursday inside the Panther Den. The team will take the rest of the summer off until the start of school on Aug. 13.
“It’s been a really good summer,” Stewart said. “The kids have been working hard.”
In June, the Panthers did a lot of individual work, both in the weight room and on the court, Stewart said.
“We were able to compete,” Stewart said. “As a coach, it’s nice seeing the maturity in your kids, kids that are now going to be seniors, leading the way and showing other kids how to compete every day in the weight room and on the court.”
Stewart said seniors Evan Sauer, Carson Wleklinski, Drew Vachon and Jordan Stewart have been at the forefront of the team’s leadership.
“It’s going to be a fun group,” he said. “There’s been a good energy in the gym and they’re having fun working hard together.”
The Panthers went to an AAO (Arkansas Athletes Outreach) Tournament in Fayetteville in June. Stewart said the Panthers played a wide range of big schools and smaller ones and had a lot of success.
Siloam Springs also has met up with Bentonville West on the court a few times this summer along with playing in a summer league with Gravette and some Missouri schools.
The aforementioned seniors have all played well. The Panthers are also expecting contributions from seniors Tyler Sharp, Mason Cooper and Thad Wright, who’s been out with an injury suffered during soccer season.
Juniors Max Perkins, Breck Soderquist, Solo Hufford and Jackson Ford have made strides as well, with the 6-foot-5 Ford having made some of the biggest physically.
“Jackson Ford has been really good,” Stewart said. “He’s coming on. His body is starting to develop. He’s been working really hard, learned a lot. He’ll be able to make an impact for us this year. … We’re hoping with him and Thad and Jordan to actually go back to a little more high-low option like we did with (Kyle) Snavely. That’s a good option.”
Sophomores Josh Stewart and Carter Winesburg are expected to have an impact on the varsity level this season after helping the ninth-grade boys go 17-7 and reach the regional tournament.
“They’re the two (sophomores) that will probably impact varsity,” Stewart said. “We’ll have a good sophomore, junior, senior group. It’s a group that enjoys being around each other. The team camaraderie is as good as ever.”
Defensively, Stewart said the Panthers will be playing more man-to-man defense than in years past while still having the option to fall back into their traditional 3-2 zone.
“We have a group that we believe can be good at man-toman, so we put a lot of time into it this summer,” Stewart said. “We hope to have a group that can play multiple defenses. We’re not shelving the zone. We’re going to have days where that zone is really good, but we’re also going to have the man-to-man to go to and also some pressing.”
Offensively, Stewart said the Panthers will be out and running.
“There’s going to be a green light,” he said. “We’re going to try and play fast. If you’ve got five guys that can all shoot, pass and dribble it makes it a little easier. It’s been fun.”