Local hoops
PLAYERS TO WATCH 1. Rhyne Howard, Bradley Central: The junior NCAA Division I prospect averaged 18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and three steals per game a year ago for a Class AAA state semifinalist. 2. Jacobi Lynn, McMinn Central: A senior committed to UTC, she led the Chargerettes to the Class AA state tournament last season by averaging 22.3 points, 4.5 assists and two steals per game. 3. Mya Long, Baylor: With the graduation of Vanderbilt signee Kaleigh Clemons, look for Long to have a breakout senior season. She quietly was the scoring leader on last year's Division II-AA state runner-up. TEAMS TO WATCH 1. Bradley Central: The Bearettes won District 5 and Region 3 on the way to the Class AAA state semifinals. In addition to Howard, they also return senior Halle Hughes (16.2 points per game). 2. McMinn Central: The Class AA Chargerettes are used to being District 5 and Region 3 favorites, winning them again last year. They'd also like a repeat state-tournament trip, but with a different ending. 3. Marion County: The Lady Warriors have their sights set on winning the first District 6-A title in this senior class's tenure. The Region 3 title isn't out of reach, and neither is a state-tournament berth.
JASPER, Tenn. - Marion County's Lady Warriors have all the ingredients to have a great basketball season. How great will be up to them.
For the first time in the high school careers of any of the current players, Marion County - not Van Buren County - could be considered the favorite to win District 6-A.
"I think we have a really good chance to win district," said Hannah Phillips, who led Marion with an average of 17 points per game last season. "We have a strong starting five, and a good bench."
Adding motivation, it was the Eaglettes who ended the Lady Warriors' season at 18-9 a year ago in a Region 3 semifinal.
"It's different," Marion's Emily Webb said of the role of favorite. "In the past if we'd play them and lose it would be like, OK. Now we have to beat them. There is no choice."
Phillips and Webb, who averaged a little more than 15 points per game last year, are returning seniors for Marion, along with Shelley Gibson and Lindsey Glass. Juniors Ashton McGrew, Breanna Vinson and Amy Webb also are solidly in the playing rotation.
"We can go eight or nine deep," Marion coach Randy Ellis said. "We have a lot of returning experience."
Those experienced players also have useful physical attributes.
"We have a lot of speed this year," Emily Webb said. "We like to push the ball."
That running game starts with the "hard man-to-man" defense Ellis likes to use. He'll tweak it at times, occasionally picking up full-court and trapping out of it.
And they can guard close to the goal. And rebound.
"We have more height than usual," Glass said.
The Lady Warriors also have the key characteristic of leadership. Ellis believes he has it in abundance.
"We're more self-motivated," Emily Webb said. "We're not really going to argue with anything he says."
Said Ellis: "I've had teams in the past where I'd have to say, 'Please do this. Please do that.' These girls are all over it. They want to win. This team has a chance to be really, really special. I hope they know that. I think they do."
For all the Lady Warriors have going for them, they aren't flawless. Being patient offensively is an area where they'd like to improve. And handling the ball can be an issue at times.
"We work on it every day," Gibson said.
Despite Ellis's vision for this year's team, he doesn't want his players looking too far ahead. Winning the District 6 regular season is the first step.
"Our coach says, 'This is our main goal,' and we're like, OK," Glass said. "The district is in our eyes. But we do have a long-term goal."
That goal is to be playing in the state tournament at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center in March.
"We can make it to the glass house," Phillips said. "There'll be challenges along the way, but we can get over them."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.