BBALL: Lexington teams hoping to improve from 3rd

Last season, both Lexington basketball teams finished third in District 14-AA, and both teams are hoping to improve on that this year with new faces on the court.

The Lady Tigers finished third in the regular season, but they fell to fourth in the tournament meaning a road trip to Westview.

Lexington graduated three starters from last year, and Kaitlyn Kelley decided in September not to play this year.

Senior Brilee Bromley is the returning starter after averaging 13.5 points per game.

The Lady Tigers will also have two other seniors back this year in Whitney Roberts and Haylie Hickerson.

“For us, the three seniors will be vital to our success,” Lexington coach Bianca Thomas said. “Bromley started last year, and Whitney will impact in the post.

“We also have an outstanding freshman class.”

Lexington starts out the season with Gibson County and follows with plenty of other talented teams like Haywood, Dyersburg and Crockett County.

“That should help us in the district,” Thomas said. “Our team is young, but I wanted to challenge them with our non-district schedule. We are going to have to grow up extremely fast.”

Thomas wants her team tested early because the District 14-AA schedule is always tough with any of the top five teams in the district able to beat one another.

“Our district and region are extremely tough,” she said. “South Side and Chester County are considered 1 and 2, but you can’t count out a Rick Rudesill team and Jerry Lott will put a heckuva team on the court. Nothing is guaranteed.”

Lexington boys coach Andrew Hicks also likes to schedule tough in the first half of the season to prepare his team for the likes of South Side and Fayette-Ware.

“I have always wanted to play the toughest schedule possible,” Hicks said. “Our goal is to play tough competition to know what we are going to go against in crunch time.”

Hicks is into his third year as coach of Lexington, and he feels this year’s team is similar to two years ago in one aspect.

“I think we are an experienced team like my first year,” he said. “We return all five starters from the team that played in the region tournament. We are going to rely on six kids with major varsity experience.”

Two of those experienced players are guards Jake Runyon and Trevon Bryant.

“Those two are program guys,” Hicks said. “They have been there since I started as a head coach, and they have bought in. They are two of our hardest workers, and you want the season to fall on your two hardest workers.”

Hicks feels like his team will play different this year with a more up-tempo style.

“We are not going to have size, so we are going to try really hard to be the hardest working team out there,” he said. “We want to out-work you and out-fight you. Whatever it takes.”

Michael Odom, 425-9754

Lexington Tigers

Last year’s record/finish: 15-16 (6-4)/3rd in District 14-AA

2 key returners: Jake Runyon (G); Trevon Bryant (G)

2 key series: Bolivar (Jan. 17 on road; Feb. 3 at home); McNairy Central (Jan. 13 at home; Jan. 31 on road)

Lexington Lady Tigers

Last year’s record/finish: 21-8 (7-3)/3rd in District 14-AA

2 key returners: Brilee Bromley (G); Whitney Roberts (P)

2 key series: Chester County (Jan. 20 at home; Feb. 7 on road); Dyersburg (Dec. 9 at home; Jan. 14 on road)