By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Nixa games may start to look like track meets if the Lady Eagles have their way.
With a roster of guards and multi-sport athletes, Nixa wants to play fast and aggressively and let its team speed take over.
“We plan to play with pace on both ends of the floor. We will defend with lots of pressure and make it hard for teams to run their offense,” said coach Jenny Talbert, who enters her second season at Nixa.
Six seniors lead the way for the Lady Eagles. Five of those six saw regular varsity action last season.
Brooke Teter, a 5’10” wing, is one of Nixa’s top returning scorers and rebounders. A standout on the pitch as well, the Drury soccer commit averaged about 12 points, six rebounds and two steals per game last season.
Teter has worked to expand her offensive arsenal.
“She is extremely athletic and can guard multiple positions,” Talbert said. “Her scoring and her range have improved, and she is able to get to the rim, pull up from mid-range and hit 3s.”
Alongside Teter, the Lady Eagles welcome back leading scorer Taylor Wood, a 5’10” junior wing. She averaged about 14 points and five rebounds per game as a sophomore.
Both Teter (first team) and Wood (second team) earned all-conference honors last season. Wood (volleyball) is another multi-sport athlete suiting up for the Lady Eagles.
“Taylor can score from all three levels and is very efficient doing so,” Talbert said. “We have high expectations for her this year as she continues to expand her game. Defensively, she is long and has great reactions. She can rebound, defend and has great speed running the floor.”
The Lady Eagles are very deep at guard.
Karis Ferguson, an Evangel commit, will try to fuel Nixa’s up-tempo style. She averaged about five points, two assists and two rebounds per game last season.
“Karis has great speed and should be able to help us push the pace in transition,” Talbert said. “She has quick hands and feet on defense. She can get to the rim, distribute or shoot from the outside.”
Addy Ruffin (4.3 ppg) will also see time at point guard. She gives Nixa another speedy facilitator.
“Addy is a great ball-handler and is quick off the drive,” Talbert said. “She has a good basketball IQ and makes smart passes and reads on the court. She has great speed and will help us push the tempo.”
The Lady Eagles can also deploy defensive stalwart Kennedy Nash (3.5 ppg) and sharpshooter Ceely Young (2.4 ppg) in the backcourt.
“Kennedy has quick hands and feet and can make it really tough on the offense. She is also a good shooter from outside and can attack and finish on the drive,” Talbert said. “Ceely can hit from deep and can really catch fire. She has also improved her mid-range shooting and drives to the basket.”
Junior forward Gwen Kubik could be poised for a big season on the hardwood. The 6’1” Kubik (3.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) uses her volleyball background to wreak havoc around the basket.
“She has great timing and reactions, which has helped her become a tremendous shot blocker and rebounder,” Talbert said. “We’re looking for her to be more aggressive on offense and really own the lane on both ends of the floor.”
Nixa finished 21-7 overall last season in Talbert’s first year at the helm.
Nixa graduated a pair of starters in Sadie Conway and Lilly Mahy. Both are continuing their basketball careers in college: Conway at Rockhurst and Mahy at Northwest Oklahoma State.
“Sadie was our energizer bunny. She gave great effort and set a great example of how to always play hard,” Talbert said. “Lilly was one of our primary ball-handlers and a great 3-point shooter.”
The Lady Eagles also lost forward Laila Grant, who transferred to Link Academy in Branson.
Varsity newcomers like Bella Marsh and Sam McClain will try to help Nixa fill in the gaps. Both are quality defensive players and play with a team-first attitude, Talbert said.
“Bella is very strong and does a great job of staying around the ball on defense. She works hard, always gives her best effort and is a great teammate,” Talbert said. “Sam has tremendous speed and athleticism. She is a great defender who loves to compete.”
Nixa is looking to post its fifth straight season of 20 or more wins. The program’s first district title since 2021 is also on the radar.
“Our expectations are high for this season. We have six seniors who are ready to make this season the best one yet,” Talbert said. “We will play with tremendous energy, effort and enthusiasm each night.”
The Lady Eagles will host a four-team jamboree on November 20. Nixa opens the regular season on November 25 at Columbia Hickman.
The team will also play in a showcase tournament in Orlando, Florida from Dec. 18-22, before returning home for the annual Pink and White Lady Classic (Dec. 27-31).
“We play in a tough conference and tough district, but I think our schedule will have us prepared,” Talbert said. The (Central Ozark Conference) has added some new schools and we’re excited for the challenges that it brings. Our tournament schedule should give us many opportunities to play quality opponents.”
