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Blue Devils ready for 2020-21 hoops season

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West Memphis looks to defend State Championship

WM School District The West Memphis Blue Devils will have to adjust to the end of the Chris Moore Era.

The former Blue Devil great led his team to a fouryear record of 103-20 with two conference championships, two state finals appearances and one state championship. Now playing for Bruce Pearl at Auburn, the 6-foot-7 Moore leaves a gaping hole in the Blue Devil roster and especially in the middle of the defense.

The Blue Devils are coming off a 26-4 state championship season.

However, the Blue Devil coaching staff thinks it has the players in place to contend for another 5A-East Conference title and possibly more as the team prepares to open its 2020-21 regular-season campaign on Thursday night at Little Rock Mills.

Leading the way this year will be hold-over Jordan Mitchell (right), a senior point guard and an all-state selection last season. He will be surrounded by three or four players who head coach Marcus Brown is counting on for break-out

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seasons.

'Obviously Jordan will be that guy for us this year,' said Brown, in his fourth season at the helm. 'But we think we have a stable of kids around him who are poised for solid production. We should have some good senior leadership to lean on this year. Right now senior leadership is going to be very, very important.'

In his first year as a Blue Devil, Mitchell came into his own about mid-season and then used a powerful performance in the state tournament to claim his postseason accolades.

The 6-foot-2 lefty is drawing recruiting interest from mid-major conferences such as the Ohio Valley, Missouri Valley and Sun Belt. He already has an offer on the table from Southeastern Louisiana.

'Jordan's the total package for a point guard, but I just love the way he competes,' Brown said of his floor leader. 'Last year he started out a little slow for us with just being in the system a little while, but the momentum he gained as the year went on was enormous.

He's also a great student in the classroom. He's gotten a lot stronger and a little more flexible from the work he did over the summer. He's ready.'

The player with the most break-out potential is senior Kaleb Barnes, who was impressive in what little varsity action he got last season, but who in early workouts looks like he's ready to take on high-leverage responsibility this season.

'Kaleb had a heckuva junior varsity season last year,' said Brown. 'He's going to be depended on heavily for his leadership, court vision and defense.

Kaleb is really a utility guard who we're expecting to be in attack mode all the time.'

Kaleb's twin brother, Kameron, a junior, is also expected to vie for a starting position. Like his sibling, Kameron enjoyed a solid junior varsity season last year and, according to Brown, has increased his outside shooting range.

Another senior, Daylion Watkins, will be counted on for starter minutes due to his all-around ability.

The hopeful in the paint area is 6-foot-8 senior Jaden Irvin, whom Brown said has improved his footwork from a year ago.

'We will be counting on Jaden to be the rim protector this season and to provide strength on the boards,' Brown commented. 'We feel like it's time for him to turn the corner for us.'

The best shooter on the team could very well be senior Selah Robbins, who has drawn compliments from Brown in his marksmanship

The defensive specialist will be Julious Magruder, whom Brown says has 'high basketball IQ and leadership qualities.'

Size will not be one of the assets for this team. But, Brown is quick to point out that West Memphis has won a state championship in the past with a small group.

The 1991 state championship team featured the current Blue Devil chief, who at only 6-foot-2 played in the low post alongside other smaller players such as state tourney MVP Charles Paige and guards Brian Rhoads and Paul Brown.

'Being as small as we are we're going to have to focus on the little things,' said Brown, 'such as oneon- one defense, finishing plays and boxing out under the boards, making your free throws and have less turnovers. Those are some of the ways to combat a lack of size.

'The goal for us this year is for opposing teams to not want to play us in February and March.'

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arkansas high school teams will not be able to play in tournaments during the regular season.

Thus, the Blue Devils have pieced together a tough non-conference slate that has them playing their first five games on the road before playing their home opener on Dec. 4 against Maumelle.

West Memphis' first 5AEast Conference game will be a pre-Christmas affair at home against arch-rival Marion on Dec. 18.

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