By Chris Parker
Willow Springs girls basketball will be young this winter with just one senior and one junior on the roster, but the sophomore and freshmen groups bring plenty of talent.
It is a young group that head coach David Cox has known for a long time.
“I am really excited to be able to be the head coach for this group of girls,” Cox said. “I have been around our program since 2010, and I feel like I have grown up with these girls. I cannot wait to see what we are able to accomplish together. We are hoping to instill a culture that will create a tough team that loves to play basketball.”
Sophomore guard Chloe Jones returns after earning second-team all-conference honors as a freshman. She averaged 14.2 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
“She (Jones) can do it all on the floor,” Cox said. “She is a tremendous outside shooter. She can see the floor really well and is always willing to hit a teammate for an open shot. She will be one of the best players in our conference this season.”
Senior guard Aspin Atwell also returns from last season’s 12-win team.
“Aspin is a really athletic player,” Cox said. “She is one of our better shooters and will be looked to be a scorer and a leader for us this year.”
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Sydney Stuart, Paisley Crudgington, Sophie Jackson, Jasmine Osborn, Karis Cochran and Emma Grogan join Jones to form a formidable sophomore class.
Cox on Stuart: “Sydney was a team leader last year on our JV and this year Sydney will be an important player for our varsity. She will help out with handling the ball and be a key rebounder for us this season.”
Cox on Crudgington: “Paisley will be moving into an important role for our team this year. She will especially help out in the areas of defense and rebounding.”
Cox on Jackson: “Sophie was one of our best scorers on JV last year. She is a solid all-around player.”
Cox on Osborn: “Jasmine was one of our better shooters on our JV last year. She will be a key role player”
Cox on Cochran: “Karis is very smart player and will be asked to help out in a variety of roles this year.”
Cox on Grogan: “She is a solid ball handler and shooter.”
Junior Mckensie Collins and freshman Alexis Sigman will also be looking to make an impact.
Cox on Collins: “Mckensie brings a lot of energy and effort the floor.”
Cox on Sigman: “Alexis will provide a lot of size and athleticism to our team this year.”
Willow Springs opens the regular season at the Van Buren Tournament Nov. 27-29.
“We are a really young team with one senior, one junior and a big group of sophomores and freshmen,” Cox said. “So, we will need to see growth across the board. We need to make sure and see the big picture for the entire season. If we do that, I think we will be in a good place come the end of our season.”
