The high school basketball season got underway this past week here in the state of Tennessee. In preparation, the CHS Lions and Lady Lions have been working hard during the off-season with high expectations for each of their programs.
Lions
After finishing second in the district last year, the Lions will benefit from a strong returning senior class. Playing an up-tempo style of basketball this season, rotating as many as 10 players, the Lions will be an exciting brand of basketball to watch.
In two of their three games so far, the team broke the century mark, averaging 99.3 points per game in early victories over Milan, Henry County, and Bruceton. Five guys are averaging in the double digits over the first three contests, with sophomore Garrett Vick leading the pack at 14.3 points per game, followed closely by Chase Douglas and Davis Hopkins. Tytus Guajardo and Sage Duffey are dominating the boards for Camden, while Heath Daniel distributes the ball well as the assist leader.
“We have gotten off to a great start this season, with a change in our style of play from a year ago. I’m pleased with the effort our players have shown through the first three games,” noted David Roberts, the Lions’ head coach. “With an up-tempo style, we can try to take advantage of our depth, which I think can wear teams down over the course of a game, giving us a better chance to be successful. We have several guys playing well, and we have multiple players consistently scoring in double figures, which is really good. We still have a lot to work on, especially on the defensive end, but if everyone will play their role within our system, then we have a chance to have a really successful season.”
Lady Lions
With only four upper-classman returning, the Lady Lions will need to balance their attack from every grade, including utilizing players from their strong freshman class to play pivotal roles. Despite a 1-2 start, the Lady Lions are anticipating a strong performance this year as the season progresses and the younger talent catches up to the speed of the high school game.
Much of the Lady Lions offense will run through Rylee Pafford, Brenna Caldwell, and Abby Berry this season, with these ladies putting up strong numbers early on. The strong preseason play of freshman Jadyn Staggs earned her the opportunity to play a starting role. Thus far, she already has proven that she belongs at this level.
“We have played a couple of big, strong teams in the first few games that should help us get better for district play,” commented Coach Renee Sutton. “We are a very young team with much to learn, with 12 athletes on the roster but only four upperclassman. In their hard work this off-season, they have shown that they are hungry and want to win. Having something to prove will be a big motivator this season.”
See more coverage of CHS basketball and highlights of other county teams in this week’s special C Section!
