Beech Tree News Network

Coach Christy Clark has something to work with this fall that she’s been without in her tenure as BCHS head coach. The coach is practicing with a full roster.

There were high expectations for the Butler County Lady Bears for the 2011-12 season. Those hopes were derailed almost before the season began. Maggie Smith, who would have been a starting senior, was lost to the squad when she had to move out of the district. Then a young team got younger when then-sophomore Lynsie Clark went down in practice with a season ending foot injury. After that a team that hoped to contend for a District 12 championship was reduced to a hard-playing 4-24 team that lost in the opening round of the district tournament.

Last season is mercifully over, and the coach and her players are back to being contenders for a district title and a trip to the 3rd region tournament.

This year’s team features two seniors, Madeline Drake and Jazmin Reynolds. Drake was the leading player on the team last year, stepping up to fill the void left by Clark and Smith’s absence. Drake has the ability to shoot from the outside, and can take the ball to the hoop as well. Madeline was forced into point guard duty for much of last season, but will get to play on the perimeter this year. Reynolds returns to the team after a two-season layoff. Reynolds can provide valuable minutes and fouls off the bench, and gives the coach another physical player for practice and to throw at more physical teams.

Juniors dominate the starting lineup for 2012-13. Lynsie Clark returns to join center Katie Graham and forward McKinzey Smith as this season’s juniors. Clark and Graham are almost guaranteed to be starters, with Smith on the verge of cracking the starting five. Smith is a physical post player with good fundamentals and a sure free-throw stroke. McKinzey brings some length to the team and will be a force on the boards. Graham was an All-Region player in 2010-11 before an off year in 2011-12.  She has the ability to dominate the low post game, but can drop away from the basket and play effectively from mid-range. Clark was the engine that drove the team in her 8th grade and freshman seasons. Her best asset is her speed, which enables her to leave defenders and penetrate. She’s also a strong passer who see’s the floor and creates for teammates. Solid from the free-throw line Clark has to step up for this edition of the Lady Bears to reach their potential.

Shawna West and Kelsey Hughson make up the sophomore Lady Bears. Hughson is predominantly a JV player, but gives Coach Clark a tall practice player, and can play spot minutes effectively when needed. West is a sophomore by class, but brings more than her share of experience to the roster. As an eighth grader in 2010-11 West was forced into varsity action due to injuries to upper class starters. Last year the freshman was supposed to be Clark’s backup, but was forced into the starting point guard role due to Clark’s injury. This season West will likely return to the starting lineup after a successful summer playing for the Kentucky Kats in AAU basketball. West is a dead-eye passer that would rather pass than score, but she does have the speed to penetrate when she chooses. She’s strong from the free throw stripe and should help make BCHS hard to guard at the top of the offense when teamed with Clark and Drake.

Koshosha Turner and Callie Cardwell are the freshman on this year’s squad. Both saw much action last year as eighth-graders and Coach Clark plans on building on that experience. Turner is a solid inside player with good hands and a nose for the basketball. Cardwell is a swing player that can be a body underneath, or play effectively from the wing.

Rounding out the 2012-13 team will be a quintet of talented, experienced 8th-graders. Allie Easley, Chloe Flener, Cheyenne White, and Addison Hall all played at the varsity level in 2011-12. This year they return joined by an inexperienced, but athletic Madison “Boo” Clark to form the core group of young players that have many thinking there could be good Lady Bears seasons ahead for some time to come. However these girls aren’t on the varsity roster just to gain experience. Easley, White, and Flener will be expected to contribute minutes when they move over to varsity from BCMS later in the year. Flener played with West on the Kentucky Kats over the summer and showed marked improvement. With her nose for the ball she will provide inside relief for Graham and will give coach Clark a ‘twin towers’ option. White is a three-point specialist that can handle the ball when needed, and Easley is a strong all-around player that is still growing.

The Lady Bears will be challenged in District 12 mostly by Grayson County, but Edmonson County has several returning starters joining a new head coach. Grayson County lost some of their scoring punch but return enough players to be the district favorite. Butler County and Grayson County open their district campaigns on Friday night with a boy/girl doubleheader at BCHS. Game time is 6 p.m. for the girls with the boys following at 7:30.