Blue Devils reloaded for 2018-19 hoops season

Blue Devils reloaded for 2018-19 hoops season

West Memphis poised for follow-up to stellar 201718 campaign

WM School District After losing four key cogs in a banner 28-4 season last year, the question from high school basketball observers in Arkansas this season is how are the West Memphis Blue Devils going to overcome the loss of firepower.

Well, as second-year head coach Marcus Brown opens the 2018-19 season Friday night with a non-conference game at Little Rock Mills, it should be noted that the Blue Devil cupboard is far from bare.

West Memphis lost four of its top five scorers from a year ago in guards Curtis Washington, Kelsey Hubbard and Sidney Stinson and front court player Zachary Byrd.

But…

They have the best player in the state in junior Chris Moore.

They have one of the best point guards in the state in senior Cavin “Big Daddy” Paige.

And as Brown points out, they won’t play totally off those two big pieces.

“We have a lot of experience that left us, some guys that went about putting our program back on the map,” said Brown. “But we feel like we’ve got some kids who are ready to step up. It’s their turn. They just have to be focused and ready to do the job at hand.”

Moore, a 6-foot-6 post player, enters the season with a large target placed on his back. He averaged team-high totals with 14.1 points per game and 8 rebounds last season.

He has several Division 1 scholarship offers already on the table from the University of Memphis, Arkansas, Florida, Auburn, Tulsa, Wichita State, Oregon, SMU, Oklahoma State and several other schools have expressed high interest.

Moore had an exceptional season on the summer circuit in 2018, winning an EYBL national championship and playing well in the Peach Jam. He features a strong upper body with above-average leaping ability and a high motor, which sets him apart from other nationally-ranked prospects.

“Chris played up in age group and showed he belonged there,” Brown commented. “He had a great, great summer. I think the one area where he really grew in was in leadership.

By far he’s our most vocal person on the team. We think he’ll be a great leader for us this year.”

Paige attended the Point Guard College last summer in Oklahoma City that hosted the top 250 point guards in the nation. Paige ended the week in Oklahoma City ranked in the top 20.

Paige is a gifted passer and is outstanding at running Brown’s offense.

“He is the heartbeat of our team,” Brown said of his point guard. “As he goes, we go. There is a lot on him this year, but we’ve been preparing him for this.”

The rest of the starting lineup in the early going of the season will be filled out by seniors Corliss Brewer and Jamal Macklin as well as senior transfer Terry Burgess, who was the leading scorer and rebounder for Wynne last season.

Brewer is considered an outside threat with his shooting and Macklin lends a defense-first mentality.

Burgess, at 6-4, can score from inside or outside, according to Brown.

“He can start the fastbreak for us also,” Brown said of Burgess. “He has the perimeter game and he can post. He should be a good match with Chris inside.”

The player who could break into the starting lineup as the season progresses is junior guard Emmanuel Hoard, who scored a teamhigh 21 points with 6 rebounds in the Blue Devils’ 70-62 win at El Dorado last Saturday night in a benefit game.

“Emmanuel has to be the igniter for us,” Brown said. “As soon as he comes into the game he has to be looking to attack. He knows what his role is.”

Other players who could see high-leverage minutes for the Blue Devils off the bench include Daveon Doolittle and Xavier Warren.

The Blue Devils are faced with a heavy non-conference schedule that includes a Nov. 27 game at perennial state power Little Rock Parkview before coming to Lehr Arena for the home opener on Nov. 30 in the first game of the Blue Devil Classic.

Thus, with the team’s appearance in the Riverbend Classic in New Madrid, Mo., the Blue Devils will have played five road games before they play their first home game.

By Billy Woods