BBALL: Can Gibson Co. girls make run to state?

Making a a state tournament appearance in nothing new for the Gibson County girls basketball team. The Lady Pioneers have made seven appearances since 2001.

But last season, Gibson County reached the Class A state championship game with an undefeated record. So the question is can Gibson County make another run at the state tournament.

“We feel like Gibson County Lady Pioneer basketball should always compete on an elite level,” Gibson County girls coach Mitch Wilkins said. “We hope to be one of the top teams again, but to be undefeated going into the state championship game, I don’t expect that to happen. We do feel like we have an opportunity to win every game that we are in.”

The Lady Pioneers will be without leading scorers Erin Lannom and Briana Fields, and Serena Roach made the decision not to play this year.

“Losing Bri and Erin, you don’t lose two players like that and automatically be the same team,” Wilkins said. “They scored 3,500 points. They were unique to have because they were opposite but the same statistically.”

Seniors Allie Smithson and Justyce White are back and should be the leaders of this year’s team, pushing the younger players to get better each game.

“We have three varsity starters back, who were a part of what we did,” Wilkins said. “Justyce and Allie are back, but we also have a lot of sophomores and freshmen that are ready to contribute.”

Gibson County will look to some of the younger players to fill in gaps and accept roles as starters. Those players include McKinley Burkett, K.J. White and Catherine Watts.

The race for the District 14-A title should again be tight with teams like Peabody, Greenfield and Union City ready to take the top spot away from Gibson County.

“We are not the pick on paper right now, be we are right where we want to be,” Wilkins said. “We have to be focused on being fundamentally sound, be one of the best around defensively and do a great job on the boards.”

While the girls will try to keep a winning tradition going, the Gibson County boys will be trying to rebuild and working to peak in Feburary.

“We lost six seniors, so besides Mac Hicks, everyone else needs quite a bit of experience,” Gibson County boys coach Justin Lowery said.

The Pioneers will look to Hicks and Jamarius Skinner as the two leaders on this year’s team with hopes of the younger players developing throughout the year.

“Mac is one of our main leaders, and Jamarius had a good summer and is working hard in the preseason,” Lowery said. “For us, it is going to be a building process from November until February, and we will look to get better every night.”

But there has to be five guys on the floor that can compete at a high level.

“We are going to have to find guys to score the cross,” Lowery said. “One of our key issues will be relying on the guards to handle the ball and try to get posts to guard in the post.”

Similar to the girls, District 14-A is loaded on the boys’ side with powerhouses like Union City and Humboldt expected to be good again.

“We have to work on us, and not worry about the opponent,” Lowery said. ‘We hope by tournament that the inexperienced players gain experience, so we can hope to make a move in February.”

Michael Odom, 425-9754

Gibson County Pioneers

Last year’s record/finish: 20-11 (10-6)/4th in District 14-A

2 key returners: Mac Hicks (G); Jamarius Skinner (F)

2 key series: Trenton Peabody (Dec. 6 at home; Jan. 17 on road); Lake County (No. 22 on road; Jan. 6 at home)

Gibson County Lady Pioneers

Last year’s record/finish: 37-1 (16-0)/1st in District 14-A

2 key returners: Justyce White (F); Allie Smithson (G)

2 key series: Trenton Peabody (Dec. 6 at home; Jan. 17 on road); Greenfield (Dec. on road; Jan. 24 at home)