By Brock Sisney (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
NEVADA — The Nevada Lady Tigers posted a combined 63-19 record and won three straight district titles over their last three seasons.
Nevada returns one starter from last season’s 23-5 team — senior Tylin Heathman — for new head coach Blake Howarth and the Lady Tigers’ first attempt to carry on tradition begins Nov. 24 on the road against Big 8 East rival Mt. Vernon. The last time Nevada faced Mt. Vernon, the Lady Tigers wrapped up their second overall Big 8 title in a row with a 61-48 victory.
“We have several girls that are going to have to step up for us this season,” Howarth said. “After graduating a great group of seniors, we have some shoes to fill. Looking at Grace Barnes, Bailey Ast, Taylor Thompson, Maleigha Hinton, Maddy Majors, Abbey Heathman, and Kirsten Buck to really step into leadership roles and possible starters for us.
“As a team, we want to compete and carry on the legacy from the past three years. We want to strive to win another conference title as well as a district title.
“Some keys for us to be successful this season is going to practice ready to work. Having to fill starting roles from the seniors we’ve graduated, our girls are going to have to show up ready to get better every day at practice. Competing is another key for us to be successful. This goes along with working hard in practice. We have to compete every day at practice, but also in games.”
The Lady Tigers do have a strong foundational point for the 2020-21 season in Heathman, who earned All-Big 8 West second team honors for her play on the court last season. She took honorable mention her sophomore year. Heathman just came off wrapping up her prep career in softball and her play on the infield resulted in all-Big 8 second team.
Howarth said that Heathman has already stepped into her leadership role and it’s always enjoyable to watch a supporting player for so long get their chance in the spotlight.
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Two other returning players Howarth mentioned as showing leadership before the season are Abby Harder and Claire Pritchett. Pritchett and Harder are two of several returning players, so the cupboard’s not completely bare for the Lady Tigers.
“We have girls that enjoy playing basketball and competing,” Howarth said. “Our girls will push each other and hold each other accountable for reaching our goals.”
Nevada’s schedule includes non-conference games against Pittsburg (Kansas), Clinton, Harrisonville, Pleasant Hill, Smith-Cotton, Bolivar, and Center, and the Lady Tigers play tournaments at Carl Junction, Frontenac (Kansas), and Clinton. Most of these schools have been familiar opponents in recent years, between district competition and Nevada’s membership in the West Central Conference before joining the Big 8.
How has the COVID-19 virus impact a team coming together under a new head coach?
“COVID-19 hasn’t really had a negative impact on our program,” Howarth said. “We weren’t able to have our regular summer schedule and travel. However, we were able to have some skill work and team camps among ourselves.”
