By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A new, yet familiar face will patrol the Mansfield sideline this season, as Missouri Sports Hall of Famer Leon Neal takes over the girls program.
Neal, who coached at Evangel University from 1994-2018, inherits a 25-5 team fresh off a Class 3 District 10 championship in 2023.
“I worked all summer with the returning players and I am looking forward to a great year,” Neal said. “We have two players that lettered last year (Elly Williams and Haven Tripp) and saw a great deal of playing time last year. They both played in every game.”
Williams and Tripp step into significant roles to lead the Lions this season after averaging 14 minutes per contest in 2023.
Williams, a 5-foot-11 junior forward, recorded 2.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists as a sophomore.
“Strong inside player who can score around the basket and score on the perimeter,” Neal said. “[Williams] is strong and gives other teams difficulties inside. She has the ability to anticipate on defense real well and that will help our team stop the opponents inside game.”
Tripp, a 5-foot-9 guard, finished with 2.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists last season.
“Strong athletic guard who can play inside/out,” Neal said. “[Tripp] rebounds strong and has great defensive skills. She sees the floor well and will really help us be a strong team this year.”
The juniors will be joined by a quartet of fellow returnees with limited varsity experience in sophomore Addison Jones, junior Cali Lemons, junior Gentry Alsup and sophomore Chloe Napier.
“Addison Jones saw playing time in eight games last year,” Neal said. “She will be a great floor general and lead her team well and be a scoring threat. She sees the floor well and will get the ball up quick for the early score as our posts run to the rim. I am also looking for Cali Lemons with her athleticism to be a scoring threat and a quick defender. I am looking for Gentry and Chloe to come in and help us this year. They have been working hard this summer and in the preseason workouts.”
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Freshmen Kandie Logan and Shila Dotson will compete for playing time this season, as well, according to Neal.
“Mansfield graduated six players last year, and the challenge may be that we all need to learn one another well so that the players that didn’t play much last year can mesh well with the two players that saw at least 14-15 minutes of playing time,” Neal said.
While the Lions might not feature a wealth of experience heading into the new season, Neal is confident in his team’s ability to quickly develop and compete.
“My expectations are that we will be a very well-conditioned, strong team,” Neal said. “We had a great summer off season and the girls worked hard to learn my offensive/defensive style. I look for my team to play hard and play together to be able to accomplish our season goals.”
Following a Nov. 13 jamboree at Conway, Mansfield tips off the regular season Nov. 20 at home against Bakersfield.
