By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
You can always come home.
Mansfield basketball will see a new, yet familiar face on the sideline this season, as Craig Campbell returns to coach his alma mater.
Mansfield returns one starter from last year’s team in Landen Campbell, a 6-foot-5 senior who averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals as a junior.
“Landen will be looked upon to carry the load until everyone else adapts to the varsity game,” Coach Campbell said. “Landen has the ability to guard one through five and will be a matchup nightmare for the other team. Landen has plans to play at the next level after high school, as well.”
Along with Landen Campbell, the Lions return a pair of varsity letter winners in 5-foot-10 senior Kaden Coble (1.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.4 spg) and 6-foot-2 junior Blake “Goose” Henry (2.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.4 spg).
“Kaden will be the lead guard most of the time and looks to guard the other team’s best guard most nights,” Coach Campbell said. “Blake will also be making the jump to a full-time varsity player this year, along with taking on a much larger role on both ends of the floor. Blake brings enormous energy and has a tenacious ability to rebound the basketball.”
Coach Campbell also expects a host of varsity newcomers to compete for playing time this season, including 6-foot-2 junior Charlie Grubbs, 5-foot-8 junior Zach McCrite, 6-foot-1 junior Riley Pierson, 5-foot-11 sophomore Haven Proetz, 5-foot-9 sophomore Malachi Ussary, 5-foot-9 sophomore Bryston Kingery, 6-foot-2 sophomore John Roberts, 6-foot-2 freshman Kellen Campbell, and 6-foot-3 freshman Fisher Croney.
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“The biggest challenge I see with this group is getting them to transition to the varsity level and learn new roles they haven’t had the past few years,” Coach Campbell said. “Nobody will be in the same role that they had last year, and the quicker we learn our roles and responsibilities in those roles the faster we will have the success we feel we can have this year.”
While Coach Cambell believes some growing pains may occur as the team adjusts to a new playing style, the overall team chemistry already in place should help to minimize the learning curve.
“We will be looking to play a slightly different style, probably a faster pace, than has been played the last few years to do our best to put our current players in the best positions to succeed and utilize their talents,” Coach Campbell said. “Our biggest strength would be the camaraderie among the returning players. They enjoy being around each other and hang out together outside of basketball. That will help in building the chemistry needed to succeed on the basketball court, as well.”
Following a Nov. 14 jamboree, Mansfield opens its regular season Nov. 28 at Bradleyville.
