RIDGELAND LADY PANTHERS
Take one look at the Ridgeland Lady Panthers scrimmaging during an early November practice and a couple of things are very noticeable.
For one, Ridgeland has more overall height on its team than it has had in a while, but it’s also a roster featuring more than a few new faces. Less than half of last year’s roster has returned and the 2020-2021 squad will feature just five upperclassmen as over half the team are either freshmen or sophomores.
Still, second-year head coach Michael Baker said it’s a group that has already impressed him its work ethic and determination.
“It’s a really hard-working group,” he stated, less than three weeks before the Thanksgiving week opener against Hixson, a game Ridgeland went on to win, 41-31. “They have such a great attitude and work really hard every day in practice. I’m very pleased with the work ethic. It’s making it very easy for me to teach them because they are very willing to learn at all times. They just soak it up.”
He added that his players’ willingness to learn is apparent at all times in practice.
“When we were going over techniques and stuff and the younger players were waiting in line for drills, they were doing the techniques while waiting their turn in line to make sure they got them right,” he explained. “Some of our girls are cheerleaders too and so they’ve got that mindset of ‘I’ve got to get the steps right’, so they’re thinking in their heads about getting their pivot foot right and their drop-step right.
“I can see them visually working on getting better while they’re waiting to do the drills and their dedication to getting better has been fun to watch.”
Ridgeland will take the floor with just two seniors, but it’s two solid floor leaders that have seen their share of action with the Blackand-white.
Macie Boren will play at point guard, while Payton Buchanan is a versatile player, capable of playing different spots on the floor.
“Macie gets everybody going everyday in practice,” Baker said. “She makes sure everybody in the locker room is on time and things like that. She’s just a very good leader and a smart player that is always constantly trying to improve. Every time we open the gym, she’s there.
She just has a very strong dedication. She ran crosscountry this fall to get in shape for basketball. She’s really stepped up this year and you can tell she wants to be a leader for this team.
“Payton is kind of a multiuse player for us. She’s not that tall, but she’s pretty effective in the post. She’s got some pretty good post-up moves and she can drive the ball to the basket fairly well too, so she’s kind of going to be all over the floor for us. I really haven’t decided what the best spot is for her because she has really shown that she can play closer to the rim, despite a bit of a lack of height.”
One of two juniors on the roster, Mackensie Miller is another player that can play multiple positions on the floor, but has shown early on that she can be a very solid post player. A smart player with a high basketball IQ, Miller knows how to direct traffic on the floor.
The final junior is guard Lexie Young. Young is a solid shooter from behind the arc and is looking to contribute points in her first full season on the varsity roster.
Among the sophomores, guard Madison Lennon has stepped up her game since seeing some varsity minutes as a freshman and is expected to contribute a lot this season. Another sophomore guard, Molly Pickard, has also improved and plays with what her coach says is a “loosey-goosey” style that translates well on the court. The final two sophomores are both post players. Autumn Paisley and Ardeja Battle have good height down low and will add depth to the Lady Panthers’ rotation on the inside.
Baker said he is also anxious to see how a five-member freshman class, full of potential, will perform in its first season of high school varsity ball.
This year’s rookie class includes a pair of six-footers in Emma Yarbrough and Camby Arthur. Yarbrough has worked hard in the offseason and is a solid rebounder, while Arthur is a solid shooter with the quickness and ball skills of a guard. Another post player, Ragan Wimpee, has only been playing basketball for a couple years, but has impressed her coaches with her attention to detail.
The final two freshmen are both guards. Shayla Rosson is an extremely quick and fast player that has improved her dribbling and can get the ball to the basket, while Haylee Collins is proving herself to be one of the team’s best shooters, as well as a solid ball-handler.
“With less than half of our team returning, these younger players will have an opportunity to start playing right away, which I’m excited about,” Baker added.
Baker also brings back both of his assistant coaches from last year, Ashley Lott and India Turner.
Baker said he expects his team to run more this season as it begins to prepare for the introduction of the 30-second shot clock, which the GHSA is phasing in over the next three years.
“I think one of our strengths is going to be that we’re shooting the ball better,” he said. “We have some young players that can shoot the lights out of the gym and some of them are going to be able to make an impact right away. We’re a little faster and I think we’re going to play a little more of a grinding-style of defense for other teams to have to face. I’m kind of excited about that.
“I think we can speed up defensively and I feel like we can run and shoot it. We’re going to have to move faster because we’re also going to have to start adjusting for the shot clock that’s coming. The tempo of the game is going to naturally increase, so we’re trying to adapt to the faster pace.
“We’re still trying to figure it out, but once we learn and start meshing, we’ll be okay. These girls get along really well and they work really hard. I think once we start clicking, we’re going to be able to see a lot of improvement from last season. I’ve been excited about this team for a long time. They’ve come in here with a mentality of positivity and hard work.”