By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The last three years have seen Ava Basketball win 71 games and a pair of district championships.
The Bears are now under new leadership with Riley Jenkins taking over.
Former SCA Player of the Year Andrew Dalton is gone and now Jenkins will look to establish a new culture at Ava.
“We’re really going to look to build relationships here,” said Jenkins. “People always come first. I hesitate to say that because it can come across as ingenuine, or just a means to winning games. However, I really believe this. If we as educators are not building meaningful, professional relationships with our student-athletes, the good we can do is minimal.”
Ava doesn’t return any starters from last year, so it’ll be a fresh start for all involved.
Carter Mahan and Isaac Dalton are two that Jenkins feels will play meaningful minutes this winter.
“We have very little returning varsity experience,” said Jenkins. “They will be two that have been in some varsity games that we hope can really grow into important roles for us.”
There are also several newcomers that Jenkins is excited about.
“Grady Goss will be a big key for us defensively,” said Jenkins. “Ashton Stout can do the same and provide a winning mentality. Kemper Wickware and Devon Sawyer will need to help us handle the ball some. They both have potential to be key cogs for us.”
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Jenkins took the job at Ava because of the fabric its residents have. That not only plays into the culture that he wants to create, but also how his teams will play.
And as the Bears look to continue the best run in a decade, those pillars will become even more important with so much inexperience and players adjusting to new roles.
“I respect the Ava Community as a whole and love how the kids embody it,” said Jenkins. “They are tough, competitive, and hard-nosed people that just want to work hard and compete. They are just the kind of people that I want to be around and definitely love having them on my team.
“We must make the team the most important thing. Always be on the lookout for the guys next to you. Constantly be lifting them up as we face adversity. Second, believe that defense is the answer. Try to be our very best defensively every time we step on the floor. Practice and games.”
Ava will open the 2022-23 season on Nov. 22 at Reeds Spring.
