El Dorado lost just three players from a team that went 8-16 last season. The Lady Wildcats hope experience will lead to better results as the season tips off Tuesday in Sylvan Hills.
Coach Makara Frazier welcomes back five seniors and three players with starting experience. The roster consists of five seniors, five juniors and four sophomores.
“They have worked extremely hard. I tell them all the time, from May to June, we look different. From June to July, we looked even better. From July to August, we kept growing,” said Frazier. “We had a really good summer where we worked hard. We learned. We got in better shape. We got to go up and down and see better things and figure out, ‘Hey, I am a little better than I thought I was and also, there are some things I can work on.’ I think each month we do something that gets better. Our energy gets better. Our effort gets better. Defensively, we communicate better. The girls work their butts off and it’s the time of the year where we put it together and let everybody know what we’ve been working on.”
Seniors Destin Lewis, Asia Caver, Damecia McDaniel, Zacameron Jackson and Zakierya McMurrian join juniors Kennedy Flowers, Devyn Shelton, Amiria Jackson, Christian Dade and Makhiya Tillis. The sophomores are Denasjah Norman, Jamiyah Davis, Ashton Tidwell and Khloe Crayton.
“We have some variety in terms of style of play. I have some that can go up and down and then I have some that can play defense in the halfcourt and they’re looking like they’re putting it all together,” Frazier said. “They’re starting to understand what we need to do to succeed. It’s been fun to watch.”
The Lady Wildcats used athleticism and depth to pressure opponents last season. Frazier hopes to show off more skill this season.
“I think we’re going to be more focused on, one, getting in control and then moving the ball around a little more. We play defense. We run the floor. But I think we’re going to do a better job of passing and looking for opportunities on mismatches and advantages we do have. That will be the key difference between this year and last year,” said Frazier.
The Lady Wildcats displayed a strong post game offensively, led by Tillis and Lewis.
“Our offensive focus is to get it in the paint. We have to get paint touches whether it’s throwing the ball into the post or it’s driving and kicking,” she said. “I think we’re really good when we get the ball inside and we can work it around and make the defense collapse. That’s been a focus, making sure we’re patient and we’re intentional about getting the ball inside the 3-point line. Whether it be a guard or a post, we have to make the defense feel some pressure and not just settle for jump shots.”
One thing that won’t change will be El Dorado’s trademark fullcourt pressure defense.
“We wouldn’t be LCB if we weren’t putting pressure on people and trying to make them run. When you’ve got kids that the majority of them run track and can really fly around, you kind of want them to bring that quickness and that speed to the basketball court,” Frazier said.
“We really thrive off that fullcourt man-to-man. Our kids love it. When we’re in it, they’re just a different kind of group. So it’s hard not to want do that. Defensively, that’s our bread and butter.”