Experience, maturity could bode well for Conway
With 11 seniors and four returning starters from last year’s statetournament team, Conway’s Wampus Cats are looking forward to a special season. Conway finished 17-10 last season, and 8-6 in 7A-Central play, after a first-round loss in the Class 7A State Tournament to Rogers Heritage, 46-43. In his 19th season at Conway High School, Brian “Salty” Longing enters his second as head coach. “We are very experienced,” he said. “We could be a fun team to watch because of our athletic ability.” Returning starters include Terry Clardy, a 6-3 senior guard; Kylen Milton, a 6-3 senior guard; Caleb London, a 6-3 junior guard; and Lerome Thompson, a 5-10 senior guard. Milton has committed to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. London has offers from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Southern Methodist Univerity in Dallas and Oral Roberts, among others. Other college prospects, Longing said, are Mandell Campbell, a 6-8 senior with offers from Southern Arkansas University in
Magnolia and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia; and Clardy, “a strong defender and rebounder with good offensive skills.” The coach said Thompson, the point guard, “is a good floor general who can knock down perimeter shots.” Others expected to help from the outside are Christian Williams, a 5-11 senior; Dylan Henderson, a 5-9 senior; Bryton Drake, a 5-11 senior; Trey Tull, a 5-9 junior; and Lucas Foster, a 5-10 junior. “They are capable shooters who will be needed to stretch the defense,” Longing said. Inside, Campbell has a 7-foot wingspan. “He will serve as a rim protector,” Longing said. “Jakilyn Kaiser, a 6-3 senior, is undersized but very skilled. He can play inside or out and is an outstanding passer out of the post. Keaton King, a 6-5 senior, is an excellent defender in the post.” Team strengths include length and athleticism, the coach said. “We will have the ability to change defenses to use our length,” Longing said. “Scoring in the post and rebounding will also be strengths.” The coach said that shooting, however, is a weakness again. “Perimeter shooting and free-throw shooting were areas of weakness last year,” Longing said. “We spent the majority of the offseason improving our shooting skills.” The Wampus Cats will open the season at Fayetteville on Nov. 13. “We’re opening with the top 6A team in the West,” Longing said. “The Rumble on the Ridge tourney (at Forrest City) over Thanksgiving is annually the most prestigious tournament in the state. The Bank of the Ozarks Classic at Conway High School will host top teams from the [Class] 5A and 6A ranks, featuring some of the top players in the state Dec. 14 and 15. “Our nonconference schedule will be extremely challenging in preparation for the rugged 6A-Central.” The coach said games to watch include West Memphis, last year’s Class 6A state runner-up, in the Bank of the Ozarks Classic in mid-December; and conference games against North Little Rock, the 2017 Class 7A state runnerup and 2018 champion, Jan. 8 and Feb. 5; and Fort Smith Northside, the 2017 Class 7A state champion and 2018 runner-up, Jan. 15 and Feb. 12. “West Memphis has the top player in the state in Chris Moore,” Longing said.
We are very experienced. We could be a fun team to watch because of our athletic ability.” BRIAN “SALTY”LONGING CONWAY WAMPUS CATS COACH