By Chris Parker
Crane girls basketball returns eight players who saw action in a majority of the games for last year’s team that posted an overall record of 17-8.
The returning group includes: Lillie McMenamy (senior), Morgan Cleveland (senior), Kailey Vaught (junior), Gracie Rich (junior), Lily Woodward (sophomore), Sayd Vaught (sophomore), Allie Frieze (sophomore) and Hunter Cleveland (sophomore).
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Head coach Jeremy Mullins on McMenamy: “Lillie is a unique player that has the ability to play anywhere on the court. Her ball handling skills and quickness allow her to play as a guard if needed, but her athleticism and toughness also makes her an asset in the post.”
Mullins on Morgan Cleveland: “Morgan has the ability to be a force in the paint. With some hard work we hope to see her gain some valuable minutes.”
Mullins on Kailey Vaught: “We saw Kailey grow as a player last year. She put in extra time during the season to work on her shooting and improved in her defensive efforts.”
Mullins on Rich: “Gracie is a player that can play inside and out. She has great slashing skills and her size and toughness allow her to be a valuable asset in the paint.”
Mullins on Woodward: “Lily really came alive at the end of last year. She figured out how to manage the contact in the pain and finish at the hoop. We look for her to continue to grow her game this year.”
Mullins on Sayd Vaught: “Sayd did a great job as a freshman as coming in when a role needed filled. She was able to run point if we needed her to and her defensive efforts grew throughout the season. We are excited to see what her second season has to offer for the Crane Lady Pirates.”
Mullins on Frieze: “Allie played some valuable minutes last year. Her toughness is unmatched in the paint. We look forward to seeing her refine her other skills to go along with her tenacity.”
Mullins on Hunter Cleveland: “Hunter is a workhorse. Her dedication is outstanding and we hope to see her extra work pay off on the court this season.”
Vaught was the only all-conference player in that group earning Honorable Mention All-SWCL honors.
Three freshmen in Averie Amos, Balla Simphaly and Taylor Cleveland could make an immediate impact for Crane this year.
“Averie, Taylor, and Bella had a great middle school career,” Mullins said. “Their 7th grade year they placed first in the SWCL and their 8th grade year they placed third. These three have great skills and will add depth to the Crane Lady Pirate lineup.”
Crane opens the regular season on Nov. 21 at home against Ash Grove.
