Searcy expects fun-filled season
Searcy head coach John White expects this year to be “a fun one.” “We have a good mix of experience and new guys,” White said. “We are gong to be able to put multiple guys who can score and defend on the floor at the same time. “Our biggest hurdle will be developing team chemistry quickly enough to be a real factor in the conference race.” Searcy finished 9-20 last year but returns four starters, including senior forwards Peyton Wright and Trystan Alcorn. Wright averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds per game last year, while Alcorn averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds. Junior forwards Freddy Hicks and Griffin Love are the other two returning starters. Hicks averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds per game a year ago, while Love chipped in with 4 points per game. Hicks said senior Peyton Caldwell, Alcorn and Hicks are all college prospects. “These guys have good length, which makes them tough on the defensive end,” White said. “We do not have a true post player, so multiple guys may find themselves in the post at times, but all these guys can step away from the basket and shoot the perimeter shot.” Caldwell, who moved in from Oklahoma, will be one of Searcy’s better perimeter players, White said. “This team should be my best team since I
have been at Searcy,” White said. “We bring back a lot of playing experience, with the addition of some new guys. “This team has several long and athletic kids who can play both in the post and on the perimeter. Another strength of this team is that we are hungry. We really want to go out and prove how good we are.” White said not having a true post player offensively forces the Lions to be more creative on the offensive end of the floor. White said every team on the schedule is going to have a quality basketball team, so every game the Lions play should be fun and entertaining to watch. But he said the games to watch include the ones against Jonesboro, who has been the defending state champion two years in a row, and West Memphis, who “brings back a great group after finishing runner-up a year ago.” “Marion and Nettleton bring a lot of athleticism to the table, but everyone in our league is a quality opponent,” White said.