By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A new era is underway at Nixa after Jennifer Perryman stepped down following a successful 10-year stint as head coach.
Jenny Talbert comes over from Fair Grove after winning a Class 3 state championship last spring, part of a 13-year run that saw her win 20 or more games six times, including three district championships.
She now takes over one of the most prestigious girls basketball programs in the state.
“When the job became open, I was obviously very interested in the opportunity to coach at one of the premier programs in the state,” said Talbert. “Nixa has a very rich tradition of excellence in athletics and as a coach that was very intriguing for me.”
Nixa won 21 games last year and graduated All-COC talent, but the cupboard is hardly bare for Talbert as she returns one of the most experienced duos in the conference, 5-foot-9 seniors Sadie Conway and Lilly Mahy. Conway – a Rockhurst commit – averaged 5.3 points and 1.8 assists as a junior while Mahy – a Northwest Oklahoma commit – added 8.1 points and 2.6 assists on last year’s very balanced team.
Both will have to shoulder larger roles this winter.
“Sadie is hard-working and aggressive,” said Talbert. “She rebounds very well, can hit from outside, but also drives to the basket to score and she gives great effort and can play many different positions.
“Lilly is a very talented ball handler, passer and shooter. Can play at the point guard spot, but we will also look for her to play off the ball a little more this year and take on the shooting guard role at times.”
Conway and Mahy will be the only seniors in what will be a talented, but youthful team.
A quartet of juniors return after playing meaningful minutes last season.
Posts Laila Grant and Brooke Teter are two of the longest, most athletic players in the COC. The 6-foot-2 Grant averaged 7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds, earning All-COC honors last year, while the 5-foot-10 Deter – an All-COC Defensive Team selection – added 3.5 points and 4.9 rebounds.
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“Laila’s ceiling is very high,” said Talbert. “She has tremendous speed, great hands and footwork in the lane. She gained valuable experience last year and we expect her to take on a bigger role this year. We want her to dominate in the lane on both ends of the floor.”
“Brooke is super athletic. Fast, jumps well and has great reactions. She does a good job of getting offensive boards, putbacks and can also score outside the lane. Gained a lot of experience last year and expect her to take a bigger role this season. She’s very versatile and is able to guard all positions.”
Classmates Karis Ferguson and Ceely Young also return to the backcourt where they’ll add defensive toughness and scoring versatility.
Sophomores Gwen Kubik and Taylor Wood will also see increased action. Kubik is a 6-foot post who is really impactful defensively. Wood is a 5-foot-9 guard with the ability to play and defend nearly anywhere on the floor.
Juniors Kennedy Nash and Addy Ruffin, as well as 6-foot sophomore Lexi Ringgold will also see minutes this winter.
While it will be a different brand of basketball, Nixa fans can still expect a very high-octane attack from Talbert’s team.
“We will be up-tempo and look to push the pace,” said Talbert. “Our goal will be to keep the defense at a disadvantage and work together as a team to get the best shot possible. Making the defense work and taking care of the ball will be keys to our offensive success. Defensively, we plan to be the hardest working team on the court. We will give incredible effort and look to take away any advantages the offense throws at us. We want to create turnovers and then score on the other end. Stringing stops and scores together will be our goal.”
While the name running the program has changed, the expectations at Nixa have not. The Lady Eagles have won at least 20 games in each of the last three seasons.
With the talent necessary to stretch that span to four, Talbert is excited about helping the program continue to operate at an elite level.
“As a professional, change can be daunting, but it is also a great way to grow,” said Talbert. “I’ve been lucky to have great kids here in Nixa and they have welcomed me with open arms. Hard working, eager, and coachable players have made the move to Nixa so much easier.
“To compete for championships, we have to sell out defensively each and every possession. We also need to out rebound our opponents, keep our turnovers low and take high percentage shots.”
