By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Coach Kevin Besch enters his first season as the Hollister Lady Tigers’ head coach and is encouraged by the offseason work his new team has put into preparing for the upcoming season.
“The team is excited about this upcoming season,” Besch said. “We have a group of young ladies who don’t mind working hard and earning what they get. The team camaraderie was big with this group this last summer. That’s an area of improvement and needed.
“This team works together, plays together and they support each other. I see a very positive group so far and that is sometimes half the battle. They are also excited about some of the new things put in this year. They are a very coachable group and will jump right in and work on it. I’m having fun and I enjoy working with these young ladies.”
The Lady Tigers finished 13-14 overall and 5-2 in the Big 8 Conference last season that included a first-round Class 4 District 11 win over Mountain Grove and a semifinal loss to eventual district champion Ava.
Hollister graduated five players from that 2021-2022 team including Mackenzie Simpson, Jackie Pyatt, Mady Pyatt, Shyannah Frenzel and Gabby Franciskovich, but return several players from last year’s roster.
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• Brisa Gere, senior. Averaged 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 1.8 steals per game. “Last year, she played high and low post,” Besch said. “This year, she will face the basket more. Great range on her shot, she’ll be a tough matchup due to her flexibility and experience. Last year, earned all-conference and all-district honors.”
• McKenzie Hamilton, 5-7 guard. “She will run the point position. Quick off the dribble and solid on defense. Smart and versatile player.”
• Renee Sutton. “Post player with good footwork. She’s tough inside and a good midrange shooter.”
• Chaylen Russell. “Plays the 2 and 3 guard position. She’s able to score off the dribble drive and from long range. She’s a physical player for her position.”
• Gracie Jennings. “Also plays the 2 and 3 guard. She will help us with her experience. Gracie can handle the ball as well as be one of the scorers. She’s not afraid to go inside in traffic.”
Other whom Besch says will contribute are Kingsley Tiefry-Morlang and Grace Getman.
• Kingsley Tiefry-Morlang, junior shooting guard. “She should help us right away on both ends of the floor,” Besch said.
• Grace Getman, post player off the bench. “She’s athletic and is able to get up and down the floor.”
“We want to change the way we play and think to a full-court mentality philosophy,” Besch said. “This means defensively and with the transition game as well. I want us to have the mindset that we will pick you up defensively right away. That’s the transition defense we want. We will seldom run down to play half-court defense. We want to put pressure on our opponent right now.”
The Lady Tigers will participate in a jamboree at Branson with Reeds Spring on Nov. 15 before opening the regular season at home against Ava on Nov. 21.
“The Big 8 Conference is tough and we want to be a tough team to be on the floor with,” Besch said. “My goal is for teams to know that they have had a very competitive game after they’ve played us. I feel like this will happen with the kind of girls that we have on this team.
“I would say any of the Big 8 teams will be a battle so we cannot take anyone for granted or lightly. We will also have some tough nonconference teams that are on our schedule. Teams like Fair Grove, Strafford, Blue Eye and Walnut Grove. We have to be ready and we will be ready for these battles.”
