Devil Dogs hope to replicate special season
The 2016-17 season was a special one for Morrilton’s Devil Dogs, and they hope it was one to build on. Keith Zackery’s team finished 20-10 overall, including an 11-1 run through conference play, and marched to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament. The Devil Dogs, third seed from the 5A-West, beat Blytheville, second from the East, in the opening round, 72-58, before falling to Sylvan Hills, fourth from the Central, 52-43. “Last year’s team was very special,” Zackery said. “I don’t know that we can replicate last year, but I really enjoy coaching this group of kids. I think if we can gang rebound and defend at a high level, we will have a chance at some success. But our league will be experienced and tough.” The Devil Dogs return three starters: Rashid Washington, a 6-2 senior combo guard; Xavier Wright, a 6-1 junior shooting guard; and Donald Jones, a 6-0 senior combo guard. Outside, the Devil Dogs will look to Washington. “He has a high IQ and has played behind some really good seniors the past couple of years, and this should be his year,” Zackery said. “He can score at all three levels. He should be a hard guard this year.” The coach said Washington could play college basketball. “Rashid is a long, rangy athlete who has made tremendous strides in his game,” Zackery
said. “He is a high IQ guy who has his best basketball in front of him.” Jones can go inside or out for the Devil Dogs. “Donald Jones is a guard who has worked at his post moves and can turn and face and give defenders fits,” Zackery said. A team strength this season should be offense, the coach said. “We can score the ball, I think,” Zackery said. “We lost our two leading scorers, but several guys we will depend on this year made their job easy because they were 3-point shooters who stretched the floor for those guys to either penetrate or post up.” Weaknesses? “Rebounding and defending the post,” the coach said. “We will be small in all positions, so defending in our league will be a problem. We will have to play as one to be successful.” The Devil Dogs will play in combined classification 5A-6A District 2 with Batesville, Beebe, Greenbrier, Mountain Home, Searcy and Vilonia. The 5A-West also includes Alma, Clarksville, Farmington, Greenbrier, Harrison, Maumelle and Vilonia. It’s a tough league. Morrilton was one of three West teams to reach the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament last year. Maumelle won the conference and reached the quarterfinals before falling to Mills University Studies, which went on to finish runner-up to Little Rock Parkview. Harrison, second from the West, also reached the quarterfinals, falling to Parkview. Greenbrier, fourth from the West, fell to Nettleton in the opening round. Zackery said Maumelle and Harrison will likely be the teams to beat. “They finished 1 and 2 last year, so they have to be the teams to beat again this year,” he said. Overall, he said, his Devil Dogs will be “fun to watch.” “They may struggle early with wins, but I look for them to hit a stride in early January and take off — a lot like last year’s team,” he said. “We’re old in classification with the six seniors but young in actual game experience. “But every Tuesday and Friday that we play, these guys work at it relentlessly, and it’s beginning to show. They play an exciting brand of basketball that any basketball fan would enjoy.” The Devil Dogs will open the season Nov. 14 with a tough 5A-West game at home against Maumelle.
I think if we can gang rebound and defend at a high level, we will have a chance at some success.” KEITH ZACKERY MORRILTON BOYS COACH