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Fair Grove, MO. — All across the Ozarks, teams are running and shooting and running some more, getting ready for a new season.
The question for many schools, how to replace what’s already graduated. And Fair Grove, coming off a district runner-up, is not immune.
“We lost seven-seniors from last year due to graduation,” Fair Grove head coach Jenny Talbert said. “But we’re still excited; we have high expectations.”
Most schools would be down trying to replace 61% of their scoring, but they don’t have Alana Findley. This young lady played like a senior last year as a freshman.
“The freshman year at first was scary,” Findley said. “The girls brought me in under their wing, and said ‘Alana don’t be scared, play your game,’ and that’s what I did and it was a blast.”
Findley averaged a double-double as a freshman. Her 12.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game led the Lady Eagles.
“She exceeded our expectations,” Talbert said. “She went up against some of the best players in the state, had some of the best players guard her, and she never backed down.”
“I’m not nervous,” Findley said about her success. “If I mess-up, I mess-up and i’m ready for the next play.”
The sophomore knows she’ll be targeted by other schools this season. The 5’10” athletic forward welcomes the challenge with long, open arms.
“I am ready and I know my teammates are ready for whenever I get caught up, they can help me out.”
“She’s a great teammate and I think that’s what makes her so special,” coach Talbet said. “The other girls like playing with her.”
“She could care less about her stats; she wants to win and have her teammates succeed.”
And just to make sure she’s one step ahead of the rivals, Alana’s worked on her jump shot and ball handling skills in the offseason.
“We don’t want her to be just in the lane,” Talbert said, “we’re trying to let her touch the ball as much as possible.”
“This year I want my teammates to rely on me to bring the ball up the court and take the last minute shot.”
And thanks to that increased role, and the stellar freshman season she’s coming off of, Alana Findley is the O-Zone Breakout Player of the Year.
“It’s an honor,” Alana said. “I love the game and it’s great to be titled that.”
“She doesn’t like individual awards,” Talbert said, “but I think (the Breakout Player honor) is well deserved and I can’t wait for her sophomore season.”
Last year, Fair Grove’s season ended to Strafford in the district title game. That’s one of Alana’s goals this season; to get back to that game.
The other is to just have fun.
