After finishing 17 – 18 last season, head coach Brad Phillips faces a rebuilding year as the Marmaduke Greyhounds return no starters from last year’ s squad. With a young and inexperienced roster, the team will rely on players like Ragan Pratt, a solid ballhandler at guard; Colton McDougle, known for his relentless work ethic; and Carson Flood, a forward who brings toughness and effort to the floor. Coach Phillips emphasizes that preseason effort and work ethic will be the team’ s biggest strengths, while depth and inexperience present obvious challenges. Success this season will depend on how quickly the Greyhounds can gel, learn on the fly, and develop the confidence to compete in the 2A-3 conference.
The Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds are gearing up for a season of growth and competitiveness under head coach Matt Dean. After a 12-win campaign last year, the team returns key pieces while welcoming players ready to make an impact. Guard Carly Loar returns for her second season as a starter, bringing strength, ball-handling skills, and a reliable finishing ability at the basket. Junior guard Cami Burnett also returns for her second year in the starting lineup, combining intensity with solid outside shooting. Point guard Cali Burnett, returning from ACL surgery, adds leadership, passing, and ball-handling prowess. Sophomore Payton Lucy, coming off labrum surgery, brings athleticism and scoring ability from deep. Coach Dean emphasizes rebounding as a key for the Lady Greyhounds, noting that while size may be a challenge, shooting and offensive efficiency can offset that weakness. Four starting positions are set, with the fifth spot open among Jill Lopez, Savannah Elder, Savannah Vandergriff, Kenzie Harrelson, and Abby Brady, each of whom has demonstrated the ability to contribute this season. With shooting, effort, and determination at the core, Marmaduke is poised to compete in every game and make its mark in the 2A-3 this season.
The Osceola Seminoles finished last season 27-7 including winning 18 of their last 19 on their way to capturing their third state title since 2020. Coach Bryanth Basemore will return three starters en route to defend their title in the always deep 3A classification. The 3A State Finals MVP Maurice Washington returns to lead a balanced Seminole attack. The senior shooting guard is a smart player that is deadly from the outside. Washington is also strong and physical which allows him to be an effective rebounder. All-State point guard Tyler Bell is back to run the offense for the Noles. Bell is a senior leader, a floor general, and a defensive specialist. He can also score by getting to the room or knocking down the outside shot. Fellow senior guard Anthony Brown will join them in the backcourt. Brown is super quick, a great on ball defender, and a good outside shooter. Senior Kash Spann returns a lot of experience off the bench and will look to expand his role for Osceola. Spann is a three and D type of player with a good outside shot and great length and athleticism on the defensive end. Osceola will again be on the short list of favorites in what could be the state’ s deepest classification, and Coach Basemore knows what it takes to get back to the top.“ We have to stay healthy and rebound the basketball along with playing great team defense,” he said.“ We return a lot of experience including three starters, but we will be young after the seniors leave the floor.” The Osceola Seminoles ran through the 3A-3 conference and will be the favorite to take the conference title again. NEA Sports believes that not only will they be a favorite in the conference, but a favorite to cut down the nets once again.
Jordan Malone takes over at Armorel as he tries to turn around a Lady Tiger program that finished 6-22 last season. Three starters return for Coach Malone, and they will be relied upon heavily to provide leadership for the younger Lady Tigers. Senior Skylar Ashmore returns as a two year starter at shooting guard. Coach Malone says Ashmore sees the floor well and has a huge impact on their offense. Junior point guard Hayden Flatness is another two year returning starter. Flatness has great speed and can handle the ball offensively, and covers the floor well and creates turnovers on defense. Classmate Maddie Britt brings a presence in the post as the third two year starter. Britt is super aggressive on the floor and is the team ' s leading rebounder. Coach Malone says the entire freshman class has moved up to provide depth and size, specifically with Conlee Raper and Madalynn Moore. Coach Malone is hoping the returning leadership can help the younger ladies grow as the year progresses.“ Since we are so young, we are focusing on rebuilding and growing this year,” Coach Malone said.“ We still have a lot to learn but the girls have bought in and are willing to do anything to be successful.” The 1A-3 will be tough again this season, but the Armorel Lady Tigers could compete for a regional tournament spot, especially at the district tournament if they continue to grow and learn as a team.