By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Hillcrest Lady Hornets’ young roster gained valuable experience last season and will work to apply it to the 2023-2024 campaign.
“We had some talented freshmen that had to learn some hard lessons at the varsity level but were successful at the JV level,” said head coach Justin Gerald, who enters his fifth season with the Lady Hornets. “We were led by three seniors that had played in our program for four years.
“It wasn’t our turn to win, losing 3-4 games by 10 (points) or less. Our young experience couldn’t figure out how to win those close games last year.”
The Lady Hornets’ future looks bright, however, with the return of four key returnees in Jamyra Parlette, Camryn Summers, Amaya Burris and Caitlin Summers, and they hope to improve on last season’s 5-21 overall and 0-10 Ozark Conference records.
Jamyra Parlette, junior center – Averaged 9.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. “(In 2021-2022), Jamyra only played half the season due to injury but averaged 7 points and 7 rebounds per game,” Gerald said. “This year, with the surrounding cast, I think her numbers will be the best she’s had in her career so far. We are counting on her to continue to improve and get better as a junior. I look forward to seeing her perform this season.”
Camryn Summers, sophomore shooting guard – “As a freshman, Camryn had a number of jobs to do on a team that needed her to do all of them. When a young athlete is expected to do a lot of different roles for your team to be successful, it makes it hard for them to focus in and do any of those roles at a high level. That’s why I think Camryn will have an awesome year. She is going to be able to play the role of the shooter and focus on it. Prediction – Camryn will make 50-plus 3-pointers this season, which will place her third on our top 10 record board for 3s in a season.”
Amaya Burris, sophomore shooting guard – “Amaya is gifted. She is a taller guard that can drive, finish and shoot from outside. After finishing third on the team in points last season as a freshman, I think her sophomore campaign may be a defining season for her career. I am excited to see what she does for us this year. With the spacing and the way we will play this year, she will have a great season. Amaya may average 10 points and shoot (more than) 70 percent from the free-throw line, while shooting a lot of free throws.”
Caitlin Summers, sophomore point guard – “Caitlin is our secret weapon. Every team needs a Caitlin Summers and I’m so glad I have her. Caitlin does all the hard work; all the work that no one else wants to do and she does it super well. Her 5-3 stature will not intimidate you, however, when she picks you up full court from start to finish, you’re going to be glad when it’s over. This summer was a big boost to her confidence; she knocked down some big shots and some big plays all summer long. Excited to see her continue her growth during her sophomore year.”
And as excited as Gerald is about his returning players, he is equally encouraged by the newcomers suiting up for the Lady Hornets this season.
Lillie Moore, 5-foot-9, freshman guard – “Lillie may be the biggest piece to our puzzle this year as a team,” Gerald said. “Lillie can do all things – drive, finish, shoot, defend, rebound – you name it, she can do it. Not only is Lillie a good basketball player, she has a good head on her shoulders. Even at a young age, Lillie is going to be expected to lead this team in a positive, vocal manner. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how Lillie responds to her role because I know the other girls will.”
Serenity Johnson, freshman shooting guard – “Serenity is starting her season recovering from an ACL tear she suffered last April,” Gerald said of his niece. “Since the third grade, she has been one of the best players in our area for the Class of 2027. Serenity is a tenacious defender with speed and anticipation and has footwork in the post area like a 6-4 post player. She can shoot the 3 off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot moments. She is set to be released at the beginning of our season. In a year where she probably would’ve started and made an immediate impact, she will slowly work her way back and will probably make more of an impact in this role than she would’ve as a starter.”
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Nevaeh Shockley, junior point guard – “Yes, you recognize the name – she is the younger sister of Heaven Shockley (formerly of Springfield Central and Lebanon high schools), who now plays at Lincoln University. Nevaeh has moved these past two years but has now found a home. Nevaeh worked with us all summer as soon as she moved back to town. She has fit in from Day 1 as a leader. She is a point guard through and through – someone to get the offense set and make the right decisions. Nevaeh can also drive to the rim and finish through contact. We are working hard on her outside shot. Once she gets that piece down, she will be one of the best in Springfield. I can’t say enough about the addition of this young lady. She needed us as much as we needed her.”
Nayarah Shockley, freshman post – “ ‘Nay’ is similar to her older sister Heaven. She is a true post player and has the footwork to prove it. You might also see this young athlete handle the ball and shoot from outside. She is an athlete and a handful to deal with on the glass. She is going to be a great addition to give Jamyra some time to rest, which is a great place to be as a freshman.”
“What I like best about my team is our ability to do the fundamentals of the game; dribble, pass, finish contested layups, get deflections, rebound and run the floor,” Gerald said. “This has not been the case in previous years, at least to the depth in which we currently have on our rosters.
“Our strength this season will be our team’s comradery. We get along off the court. I think that simple piece of high school sports can take a team a long way, especially when their experience on the court isn’t there yet.”
The Lady Hornets will work to fill the void left by the graduation of Natalia Barker (OC All-Defensive Team), Maddison Goodwin and Faith Askin.
“They all gave four years of their high school lives dedicated to our program; they laid down a foundation we can truly build on,” Gerald said. “We are truly thankful for the time and dedication they gave to our program.”
The Lady Hornets will host McDonald County on Nov. 17 and will then travel to play in the Morrisville Tournament on Nov. 27-Dec. 2.
“Since I arrived at Hillcrest, I’ve never had a team with this many athletes,” Gerald said. “We are a young group with only one senior on our current roster. As the season progresses, I think you’ll see my team gain the mental and physical toughness it takes to compete in our conference as well as the team chemistry.
“My expectations are up and my athletes know that from our summer gatherings. We’ve talked about it for a long time now. I believe our players’ expectations are up, which may be the most important piece to the puzzle this season. If we can find a way to stay healthy, watch out for these Hornets – they’re ready to compete.”
