While the football, softball and baseball teams have enjoyed plenty of success at Lake, it hasn’t been that way with the basketball teams.
But that may be changing in the near future.
Former Newton and Scott Central coach Darrin Gray takes over the boys’ basketball program while Maurice Bowie will just coach the girls’ team after more than doubling their win total last season.
Here’s a look at both teams:
Lake boys
The Hornets will enter the season with a new head coach as Darrin Gray takes over for Maurice Bowie.
Gray, a Lake graduate, comes to Lake after successful stints at Newton and Scott Central.
Even though the Hornets haven’t had much success on the basketball courts in recent years, Gray thinks all the ingredients are there for his team to be successful.
“I think we are going to get better,” Gray said. “I feel good about the kids we have out. A lot of times when you get to a new place, you aren’t as worried about wins and losses and more concerned about learning the kids. We are just trying to get the most out of them and that’s what we are working on right now. We are just going to do the basic things and try to be fundamentally sound. We just want to keep everything simple at this point.”
Returning for the Hornets will be leading scorers Danarrious Hughes and Zywon Ledbetter. They will be joined on the court by point guard Brady McGee and C.J. Gilstrap along with Davonte Rankin. Myles Johnson will provide depth along with Antavious Robinson, Ladarious Brimlett and Jah’Kevious Powe.
“I still don’t know who all is going to be out there,” Gray said. “We are putting a lot of things in and holding their feet to the fire. It’s a good group of kids and they will listen to what you tell them. We just need some time on the court and just have to hang in there.”
Lake girls
The Lake girls return a full squad from last year under second-year coach Maurice Bowie, who will just be coaching the girls squad this season.
Bowie said he has gone back to square one with this year’s squad now that he has more time to coach.
“I can play 12 easily but am playing 10 mostly,” Bowie said. “I had to coach both teams last year and that took up a lot of time. We are readjusting what we are doing and teaching more fundamentals this year. We are trying to do a better job teaching and coaching. But we have everybody back. We just have to be better as a unit.”
Bowie said one of the major points of emphasis this season will be low-post scoring.
“We should be a lot better and had a tough time scoring in the paint,” Bowie said. “People played a lot of box and one on us last year and we had a tough time scoring. We should be better.”
Starting for the Lady Hornets will be Ameria Ervin, Monica Pinkson, Brooklyn Harris, Alicia Oliphant and Daniera Barton. Coming off the bench will be Laurel Breland, TraShayla Wilson, Lenisha Palm, Anna Hunt, Kenya Odom and Amante Earnest.
The Lady Hornets will compete in district play with Newton, Union, Scott Central and Philadelphia.
“We were the youngest team in the district last year and we didn’t have much success,” Bowie said. “We do have everybody coming back. We just have to take care of ourselves. I know the district will be a challenge.”
