Added depth should help Greyhounds, coach says

“The Hounds are hungry and self-motivated. We want to continue to build on our success from last season and make the state tournament this year.”

Brandon Gates NEWPORT BOYS BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

Conference: 3A-2

Coach: Brandon Gates

Assistant coaches: Jack Clark and Lavar Neal

2019-20 record: 20-7

Returning starters: Jairus Dean, Kylan Walls, Tharon Davis and Jerry Woods

Last season, Newport finished as district runner-up, losing to Rivercrest in the 3A-2 Regional Tournament. Head coach Brandon Gates said the team’s added depth should help with future goals.

“The Hounds are hungry and self-motivated,” said Brandon Gates, who is in his fifth year as head coach at Newport. “We want to continue to build on our success from last season and make the state tournament this year.”

Returning this year are Jairus Dean and Kylan Walls, who averaged 14 points per game last season. Gates said Walls is a “shooter, and really an all-around scorer.”

“He has a great midrange game,” Gates said. “Jerry Woods is our point guard and is also our best ball-defender.”

Gates said Dean is a guard who can play for anybody in the state.

“He can fit any team’s style, and he has everything it takes to play at the next level, including character, drive and respect,” Gates said.

Newport’s inside players include sophomore Isiah Kendall, who can “run and jump very well, and he has great hands,” the coach said.

“Senior Chris Reynolds has great mobility and a good shooting touch inside and outside,” Gates said. “Dean, Walls and Woods will be our starting guards. They are great ball-handlers and quick in transition. Dean and Walls are strong 3-point shooters.”

Reynolds hasn’t played basketball since junior high but has grown to 6-7 and played the wing-forward sport when he was younger, the coach said. Reynolds has great IQ and a nice touch around the rim, Gates said, and has great mobility, and a good shooting touch inside and outside.

Gates said Kendall finished the year as a freshman who moved up in the district and played in the regional game against Rivercrest. The coach said Kendall has a lot of potential.

“Besides his length, he is a great shot blocker and reads the help-side defense very well,” Gates said. “He can run and jump very well, and he has great hands.”

The coach said senior Omar King will see some playing time at the wing position. Gates said King is “athletic, and a hard worker who goes to the rebounds hard and has good agility skills.”

Junior forward Malachi Gates will contribute this season as a stretch player who can shoot and has a good basketball IQ, the coach said. Other sophomores who will contribute include forwards Brendon Curry and Kylan Crite. Gates said both are athletic and can defend and rebound.

Sophomore Dejai Marshall will offer backup guard help, Gates said, and is a good shooter and a high-energy defender.

Gates said all conference games will be the ones to watch, but he said Harding Academy will be one of Newport’s tougher opponents.