The Westside Warriors finished last season 19-10 earning a trip to the state tournament. John Paul Geniesse takes over for long time head coach Mark Whitmire, and Coach Geniesse has a core group of returners that should help lead the Warriors to another successful season. Seniors Koby Thompson and Landon Webb return, along with three-year starting junior Micah Dew. Thompson is a strong point guard who is able to command the floor and dictates tempo very well. He has good range from the perimeter and can set up his teammates with good vision. Classmate, Webb, is an athletic player who can finish at the rim and step outside and knock down the three. He can rebound well and guard multiple positions. Dew is a versatile player who finishes well through contact and has a good perimeter game. He can also guard multiple positions on the floor. Seniors Will Harp and Wes Smith will look to add depth at the guard spots, along with juniors Hayden Tilley and Kyler Sharp. Coach Geniesse is looking forward to the challenge of leading his new team.“ We are excited for the season to get going,” he said.“ Our kids have spent a ton of time in the weight room getting stronger. We have six seniors and a really good returning group who have committed to getting better in the off-season. We will be a balanced team this year with multiple kids who can get going on a nightly basis. Our strengths include our team chemistry, the ability to defend the basketball and how well we can shoot the ball from the perimeter. Our area for growth will be learning a new system and developing consistent cohesion throughout the year. The makeup of our team is really good, we have kids that love the game and will commit to getting better daily.“ The 4A-3 will be tough as usual and the Westside Warriors should be in the mix until the end. Look for Coach Geniesse’ s bunch to use strong guard play to give themselves an opportunity to make some noise in the postseason.
The Westside Lady Warriors turned a tough early season nonconference schedule into some big conference wins down the stretch. Westside finished 15-18, but it was a successful conference run and a trip to the regional tournament that has head coach Brad Brannen and the Lady Warriors looking for more this season. Three starters also return to add to the excitement this season. Senior forward Mattyx Cureton is back after averaging seven points and four rebounds last season. Cureton is one of the team’ s best shooters and rebounders and will be called upon to expand those roles this season. Junior guard Kylie Coots also averaged seven points a game as a starter last season. Coots handles the ball a lot, can shoot from the outside, and is one of the team’ s best defenders. Classmate Kirby Conrad averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds last year. The power forward brings a lot of energy and athleticism to the defensive end and can score in many different ways. Senior guard Brylee Timms should provide depth and an outside threat from the guard spot, while fellow senior Madison Jones is a post presence that can step outside and is a good rebounder. Juniors Lilly Brannen and Destinee Tate provide more outside shooting and guard depth, while sophomores Kimber Wynne and Emma Byrd look to make an impact after moving up from last season’ s championship junior high squad. Wynne is an athletic scorer, and Byrd can handle the ball and shoot it as well. Coach Brannen looks to capitalize on his team’ s strong finish last season and improvements in the off-season.“ Our success in the 2024 – 2025 season will be driven by our ability to play with pace, apply disruptive pressure, and turn the game into a series of quick decision-making moments for our opponents,” he said.“ Offensively, we have improved and plan to capitalize on our speed and athleticism to create advantages early in possessions. Our strengths lie in our rebounding and overall athleticism, which should allow us to control tempo, generate second-chance opportunities, and be effective in transition.” The Westside Lady Warriors should be one of the favorites in the 4A-3.