Basketball season overview: Belgreen

GIRLS

With a core group of starters returning and all underclassmen, the Belgreen varsity girls are poised for two solid years of basketball.

“We have some great kids that are enjoyable to coach,” said longtime head coach Chad Green.

Belgreen’s starters have a lot of minutes under their belts as they get set for the season.

“This year’s team has a lot more experience with several girls who have played at the varsity level for many years,” Green explained.

The core group of returning players include Dacota Green, Isabella Tate, Bryn Scott and Makenna Fisher.

They appear to have all the ingredients to have a successful season.

“We have speed, size and shooters,” said Green.

Green said he wants his team to develop around the idea of “toughness and grit.”

“I want our team to play fast, hit the boards and rebound and play tough, gritty defense.”

ROSTER

Lily Green                     2

Bryn Scott                     3

Jacqueline Alban           4

Laura Seal                     10

Isabella Tate                 11

Morgan Lauderdale       12

Lilliana Willingham        14

Makenna Fisher            15

Mackinley Hogan          21

Alayna Tate                  22

Dacota Green               33

Carson  Hovater            42

BOYS

The Belgreen Bulldogs look like a team building for the future. With one senior, Marty Cooper’s squad is young when it comes to age and experience, but he says they love the game of basketball.

“We are a young team,” said Cooper. “We have good chemistry, though. They play hard, and they pull for each other. They want to be successful and work hard.”

Belgreen lost one senior from last year’s team, Austin James. James, however, was a big kid and could step out beyond the arch and shoot the three ball.

“We don’t have much size,” Cooper explained. “I think we are quick for a 1A team.”

Cooper said he believes his team’s depth could be a difference-maker this year.

“We have ten players on varsity, and we can use all of them. They will all have a role to play.”

Belgreen returns Will King, the lone senior and team’s point guard. Braycen Johnson, a sophomore guard, was the team’s second leading scorer last year. Jonathan Mendoza, a sophomore, played several minutes as a freshman last year. The Bulldogs also return junior Hunter Woodruff.

Cooper said he wants his team to embrace their quickness and develop a defensive mindset.

“We will need to get after other teams and make it difficult for them to run their offense. We need to use our defense to create offensive opportunities.”

ROSTER

#0     Will King                     SR.

#1     Landon Cox                 JR.

#2     Miguel Cruz Perez      SO.

#3     Ely Mitchell                 JR.

#4     Ben Wilkins                 SO.

#5     Gabriel Estrada           SO.

#10   Alex Guidry                 SR.

#12   Jonathan Mendoza    SO.

#13   Braycen Johnson        SO.

#24   Aaron Rubido             SO.

# 33  Hunter Woodruff       JR.