By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
You can always go home, according to the Bolivar girls basketball program.
Following a 15-13 finish in 2023-24, the Liberators welcomed back longtime head coach Darin Archer, along with the entire starting five heading into the winter campaign.
“I have been at Bolivar as a boys or girls coach for 24 years,” Archer said. “This is my first year back at Bolivar since 2018. I think the biggest challenge for me with this group is just getting to know their strengths and weaknesses as a whole. We have a very athletic group, but I have had very little time with them as a whole.”
The Liberators’ attack will be led by returning all-conference and all-district honoree Carly Cribbs.
Cribbs, a 5-foot-7 junior, averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists as a sophomore.
“Carly is one of the area’s best juniors and has the ability to take over a game with her ability to score,” Archer said. “She is a student of the game and understands how to get her teammates involved in scoring.”
Cribbs will be joined in the starting lineup by seniors KaCee Jenkins and Megan Howard.
Jenkins, a 5-foot-11 center, recorded 3.5 points and 5 rebounds per contest last season.
“KaCee has a tremendous upside and will be our interior enforcer on both ends of the floor,” Archer said. “She has the ability to be a lockdown defender and control the boards. We are looking for her to have a breakout year.”
Howard, a 5-foot-10 forward, averaged 5.6 points and 9.8 rebounds as a junior.
“Megan is a tremendous athlete,” Archer said. “She is effective on both ends of the floor and has the ability to be one of the best rebounders in the area.”
Juniors Kami Bryan and Emma Goodman also return to the starting lineup.
Bryan, a 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 8.7 points last season.
“Kami is a tremendous athlete that can be very effective on both ends of the floor,” Archer said. “She has the ability to run the floor well and she is a long, disruptive defender. We are looking for Kami to have a breakout season.”
Goodman, a 5-foot-8 all-conference defensive selection, averaged 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds as a junior.
“Emma is a tremendous athlete and defensive stopper,” Archer said. “She has the ability to be a defensive disrupter, and she will be counted on to expand her role offensively.”
A trio of junior role players round out Bolivar’s returning corps in 5-foot-8 Heidi Roweton, 5-foot-9 Maidyn Riley and 5-foot-7 Katelyn Berry.
“Heidi is an extremely hard worker on both ends of the floor and she will look to expand her role this year,” Archer said. “Maidyn is a hard worker and should provide some depth for us at the forward position this year. Katelyn will provide depth at the guard position and is a good shooter that can stretch the floor.”
Archer expects a quartet of sophomore newcomers to compete for varsity minutes this season in 6-foot Adelyn Carrel, 5-foot-10 Jillian Horner, 5-foot-6 Josie Maze and 5-foot-7 Kenadee Baker.
“I have been pleasantly surprised with this group of young ladies,” Archer said. “I try to coach to our strengths, and one of the best strengths we have is our athleticism. This group has the ability to be lock-down defenders and control the boards on both ends of the floor.
“We will need to develop some depth at each position and continue to improve as we continue to get more time together on the floor. We are a fairly young group as a whole, but all five starters return, and we have a young nucleus to build around our experienced players.”
For Bolivar to build on last season’s success and make a postseason run, Archer believes chemistry development will play a significant role as the team moves through its schedule.
“This group has been well coached, and the fundamentals are in place,” Archer said. “The quicker I can understand what this group needs to be successful and implement it into play. I think this group has the chance to be very good, but we have a lot of work to do between now and conference/district play.”
Following a Nov. 19 home jamboree with Ozark, Marion C. Early and Walnut Grove, Bolivar will open its season Dec. 2 in the Morrisville Girls Tournament.
