By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Ozark Lady Tigers will have a new head coach leading the way this season, although he is not new to coaching girls’ basketball in southwest Missouri.
Doug Hepler, who last coached at Spokane, compiled a 172-54 record in eight seasons as a head coach in stops at Mt. Vernon and Clever, as well as Spokane. Hepler stepped away from coaching to be a dad and felt that it was the right time for his family for him to get back into it.
The Lady Tigers finished 14-12 overall last season and 6-2 in the Central Ozark Conference. They finished the season strong, winning six of their last eight games before coming up short against rival Nixa, 56-54, in the Class 6 District 11 championship game.
Hepler said the expectations for his team are “to come out and compete. If we take care of the little things, good things will happen.
“We had a few team camps and several team practices to learn a new system and each other. Our summer was good for us in laying the foundation of who we are.”
One key loss to graduation for Ozark is Anna Hitt, who was an all-conference first-team and defensive team selection and all-district honoree. Hitt is now playing at Drury University.
“Anna was a do-it-all type player,” Hepler said. “Her speed and competitive nature were hard to contend with. She led the team in many ways, and she will be missed.”
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Hepler said his team’s biggest strength is depth as the Lady Tigers return six seniors and two juniors.
• Moriah Putt, senior guard/forward/post – Earned all-district and all-conference second-team honors. “Moriah can play all over the floor,” Hepler said. “She can drive, pass, shoot, post up. She has the all-around skills that make her tough to guard.”
• Lyla Watson, senior guard – All-district honoree. “Lyla can shoot the ball and drive to the basket. She has the skills and body to be a player in our league. She can find ways to score in a variety of ways.”
• Riley Boggs, senior point guard – All-district and all-conference honorable mention selection. “Riley is a quick guard who can play both ends of the floor. She has the ability to get to the rim, find open teammates, or shoot the 3. She is ready to take the next step forward in leading our team.”
• Adri Wakerman, senior guard – “Adri can shoot it from anywhere. She has also expanded her game and can get to the rim. Adri is a talented athlete who is just beginning to realize the different ways she can impact a game.”
• KeyAnna Rivera, senior post – “Key is a natural coach and leader. She sees the floor well and knows how to play the game. She had a great summer and has done a great job inside on both ends of the floor.”
• Zeffe Kent, senior guard – “Zeffe can get out and go. She has the ability to impact a game and break down defense.”
• Molly Rushing, junior guard – “Molly is a hard-nosed player that is fiercely competitive. She will challenge teams on both ends of the floor and she can really impact a game at any time.”
• Alexis Solomon, junior guard/forward – “Lex is a solid player who will fill any role the team needs. She is a gifted leader and is willing to do the little things that make a team successful.”
To add to his team’s depth, Hepler has four junior newcomers who could make an impact this season.
• Jordan Foley, junior guard/forward – “Jordan’s athleticism and ability to score inside and out will add greatly to our team depth.”
• Haven Haymes, junior post – “Haven is a leader and her speed and athleticism will make an impact on both ends of the floor.”
• Chloe Eisenmann, junior guard – “Chloe can score from a variety of ways. She can shoot the ball or attack the basket. She could be an impact player because of her versatility.”
• Cadance Kirkland, junior guard – “She is a solid point guard who has really improved her game this summer. She will give us some depth at the guard spot this year.”
The Lady Tigers will participate in a jamboree at Sparta before opening their regular season in the Great 8 Classic in Rogers, Ark., on Dec. 2-4.
“We have several kids that are going to challenge each other day in and day out,” Hepler said.
