The Greenwood varsity girls’ basketball program has been among the best in the state ever since the arrival of Head Coach Clay Reeves nearly two decades ago, winner of eight state championships, five of those at Greenwood. But a new era of roundball is starting after the departure of a remarkable quartet of young ladies who were the heart and soul of the program for the last four seasons. They have moved on, but Lady Bulldogs’ basketball remains very much alive and well, as evidenced by Greenwood’s 68-38 season-opening road victory over Class 6A Cabot last Saturday.
Of course, the four players referenced above are Kinley Fisher, Ally Sockey, Haven Clements, and Shea Goodwin, all of which played varsity ball as ninth graders and started much of the time. They reached the state finals as freshman and again as juniors, claiming the program’s fifth state title in 2020, though the championship game was cancelled due to Covid-19. Together they won nearly 90 games in their prep careers and are continuing their athletic pursuits at the college level.
But Coach Reeves hasn’t won eight state titles by relying on talented players alone. He’s developed a winning system and built a powerhouse program at Greenwood after winning three state championships at Greenland. With numerous players returning from last year’s 22-5 team, including one starter and several talented reserves, plus an influx of sophomore talent, the Lady Bulldogs are simply turning a page in their storied history, embarking on a new journey with a familiar destination in mind – the state finals in Hot Springs next March. In a recent interview, Coach Reeves was asked about those four graduated seniors and their impact on the program.
“The last four years [were] great,” he said. “Those four [girls] made it exciting for practice and for games. They were fundamentally sound at a young age, and they were just fun to coach. They could play any style they needed to play. They were competitive, respectful, worked hard, and loved playing the game. It was just four great years of me being blessed to be able to coach them. I never had to worry about certain things, because I knew what they were going to do.”
The Lady Bulldogs lost in the state tournament last year to eventual champion Jonesboro, and Coach Reeves still feels the sting of that defeat. “I felt like we were the best team in the state last year. We played as hard or harder in that final game than we had all year. Things just didn’t go our way. But I take full responsibility for us not winning that last game. I needed to do a better job of managing the game. [The players] did their part, but I probably should have made some adjustments. I just felt like I could have done a better job, and I hope to learn from that.”
But the coach knows that time moves on and players come and go, and it’s now time to focus on the present and future of GHS girls basketball. Reeves is excited about the prospects of another season and the depth of talent he has returning, plus the new blood moving up from a junior high squad that won the River Valley Conference last year.
“We’ve got a whole lot of returning players who [logged] a lot of minutes last year and the year before,” said the coach. “This group has a chance to be really good also. We’ve got all the [players] we need with the skills we need, but it’s time to put it together and see what we can do, because those [four] seniors are gone. I have a great outlook for this team and their potential.”
Some questions come to mind when comparing this year’s team to last season’s bunch. For instance, how is this current team going to make up for the loss of Kinley Fisher’s 20 points per game? Fisher ended her career as one of the top scorers in GHS history. Can the 2021-22 Lady Bulldogs play as fast as did their predecessors? What kind of defense best suits this current group, man or zone or some variation of the two? Those questions are yet to be answered.
“I have 100% confidence in all the players we have now,” said Coach Reeves. “We just have to find the best way for this team to get it done on a nightly basis. I’m willing to adapt to whatever style we need to play. [Physically], this team is a little bit taller and longer. We’ve got to find the best way for this team to play.”
As to where the points are going to come from, Coach Reeves is confident that won’t be a problem. Natural scorers like Fisher are rare. This year’s team will be much more balanced offensively, sharing the scoring load among several players, starting with their lone returning starter, Mady Cartwright, and returning sophomore Anna Trusty, who played a lot as a freshman last season.
“It will be spread out,” said the coaching when asked about the scoring. “We do have a lot [of kids] that can score. We have some great shooters and others who are good at creating [shots] off the dribble. I’m looking at Mady [Cartwright] to step up and get her open shots and create for other players at the same time.”
There are only four seniors on the roster for Reeves, two of which played a lot of minutes last season off the bench and have moved into starting roles this fall. They are Megan Gray and Abby Summitt. The other two seniors are guard Macy Cutsinger and forward Payton Tedford. There are also eight juniors, six sophomores, and no freshman on the squad.
“Megan and Abby are both hard workers and good shooters,” said their head coach. “Megan plays points guard a lot and can play off-guard too. She’s a good 3-point shooter and plays hard on defense. Abby is a good 3-point shooter too. We’re working with them [to score] a little more off movement and off the dribble.
“Macy is a quick guard that helps add athleticism to our team in practice every day. Payton is a good spot-up three-point shooter. That’s her strength,” added Reeves. Cutsinger is a two-sport athlete and recently signed a college offer to play softball. But starter or reserve, those four seniors will be looked to for leadership by their teammates.
Among the juniors, Mady Cartwright is the team’s most veteran returnee, having played a lot of minutes as a freshman and starting as a sophomore. “She’s 5’10” and can play all five spots on the floor,” said Reeves of Cartwright’s versatility. “We’re working with her to make sure she’s aggressive offensively. She’s a good shooter and a good creator. We expect her to make plays for herself and create for other people. If people key on her that will open things up for others.”
“Adriana [Rusin] played quite a bit last year, and this year she’s going to be counted on to play all the time. She’s a good defensive player and a good rebounder. She does the little things, but has improved so much on her shooting and scoring ability.” Rusin will be expected to take up some of the rebounding slack from the loss of senior Haven Clements.
“Ella Williams played a lot last year too,” said Reeves of the junior guard. “[Forward] Kate [Rozell] has made a lot of progress and has gotten a lot better in practice. [Guard] Ashlyn Butler took a year off from basketball and has come back, but she did well in junior high. She’s catching up with what we are doing, and I feel like she’s going to be there.
“Madelyn Wilkinson didn’t play in tenth grade either and came back as a junior. She was a really good guard in junior high. Once she gets back in the groove, she will be ready to go.” Both two-sport athletes, Butler is a starter on the volleyball team and Wilkinson is one of Greenwood’s top female cross country runners.
“[Junior guard] Jo-Lea Valencia didn’t play in tenth grade, but she went through the pre-season with us,” said the coach. “She’s tall, long, and athletic, and she’s getting a lot better.” Reeves then turned his attention to the half-dozen sophomores on his roster, starting with Anna Trusty, who played as a true freshman last year and provided a big boost off the bench.
“Anna did a great job and played a lot [of minutes] every game last year. She just finds a way to score. She has a knack for getting a rebound or a loose ball. Her and Mady [Cartwright] are alike. Their strength is beating people off the dribble, getting to the basket, and rebounding. And now her outside shooting has improved a lot. They’re also our tallest players. [Anna] always keeps the same facial expression and goes out and gets the job done. Nothing seems to rattle her.
“The two sophomores that played the most this summer and fall are [guards] Brooklyn Woolsey and Carley Sexton,” said Reeves. “We’re expecting a lot from both of them. They are hard workers and good shooters, and they can create and drive. McKenzie Thomas is a post player and she’s getting a lot of action in practice every day. She’s strong inside and does a good job rebounding and finishing around the basket. She also does a good job on low post defense.” Forwards Kaci Dedmon and Fallon Van Lare also came off last year’s freshmen River Valley Conference championship team and have a chance to get better and contribute on the varsity level either this season or in the future.
Prior to last Saturday’s season opener at Cabot, Reeves said of his Lady Bulldogs, “They are tired of practicing against each other. They’ve been playing against each other spring, summer, and fall. But I know they are going to step it up when we get to a game. We just need to figure out our identity and chemistry and understand [ourselves] as a team.”
Asked about a potential starting lineup, the coach said, “If we’re playing today, Megan Gray, Abby Summitt, Adriana Rusin, Mady Cartwright, and Anna Trusty would be the five starting. I don’t know how far our depth will go, but I do know that Ella Williams, Carly Sexton, and Brooklyn Woolsey are going in the first quarter. We’re going to play more players than eight, and there will be [other] players step up. We’ll figure it out.” The coach said he wants at least ten dependable players.
As for his team’s overall strengths, Reeves said, “We’re a good shooting team and we’re doing well in transition in practice. I like it and the kids like it, playing up tempo. But if that’s not going to get it done, they we will do what we have to do. I’m excited. It’s a challenge. But once we play a few games we’ll know where we are and what we’ve got to get better at.”
Reeves also answered a few questions about the 2021-22 schedule, saying, “I know we need to play against some really quick guards and some taller post players to see how we can defend that. If you don’t face the [tough] competition, you won’t get better. I could make a schedule where we’re undefeated going into conference every year, but it won’t pay off.”
Greenwood plays in the Lake Hamilton Classic this week, making four games in eight days after the Cabot contest, then travels to Nashville next Tuesday before their first home game against Conway on December 2nd. They will also play at Bentonville and in Fort Smith’s Tournament of Champions before hosting North Little Rock on December 17th. They will end their non-conference slate just before Christmas by hosting Bentonville on December 21st.
The 5A West conference schedule begins on January 7th at Russellville. Asked about the league competition this year, Reeves hedged a bit in his answer. “It’s hard to say. I guess us and Vilonia were the top two in our conference [last year], and that’s where I’m going to put my money first, just because of tradition and experience. Siloam Springs has several starters back and Greenbrier beat somebody in the state tournament last year. Alma continues to get better every year. We just want to be where we need to be when we get to January and February.” Van Buren and Mountain Home are the other two conference opponents.
As for the competition statewide, the defending champs will still be hard to beat. “Jonesboro won it and they’ve got their two best players coming back,” said the coach. “West Memphis got to the finals and has most all their players back. Jacksonville had a lot of players hurt last year and have most of them back. Little Rock Christian is always good.
“We’ve got as good a chance to win it as anyone. I’m excited because I know how we’re going to progress and get better throughout the year, because this is a whole new team. We’ve got to figure out what’s the best style for this team to play.”
The Lady Bulldogs kicked off their season last Saturday with a resounding 30-point victory on the road against a much larger school, knocking off the Cabot Lady Panthers by a score of 68-38. Statistically, the two teams weren’t that far apart, except in two important categories, scoring and steals. Greenwood swiped the ball 17 times compared to just five steals for Cabot, giving the Lady Bulldogs a dozen extra possessions to score, and they made the most of them.
Both teams shot well overall but not so good from beyond the arc. The GHS girls hit 48% of their shots, but only 21% from long distance, only slightly better than Cabot. Both teams had the same number of assists (10) and about the same number of rebounds, though Greenwood outperformed the Lady Panthers at the free throw line, 71% to 57%. The source of those unofficial stats is the MaxPreps sports website.