By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

Fourth in a series of reports on local basketball teams …

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan’s girls narrowly missed the playoffs in 2022-23, and coach Bri Evans believes the Mustangs can bridge the gap this time.

East was 11-13 last season, when 12-12 no doubt would have meant a berth in the 32-team 3A West bracket.

“I feel like we’re pretty good this season and have a chance to contend,” said Evans, a third-year head coach who starred at Catawba College a few years ago. “This is a competitive group of girls. Things didn’t always go our way last season and we didn’t always get the outcome we wanted, but they competed in every game.”

East’s 11-person varsity squad will be junior-heavy. Seven juniors, two seniors, two sophomores.

One of those seniors, Hannah Waddell, has been one of East’s top players since she was a freshman. COVID reduced her freshman season to about half a season, but she has scored 584 career points.

She’ll continue to build on a solid career. She averaged a team-high 10.8 points as a junior. She’s had a 30-point game in her career, and she had games of 25 and 26 last season. She is a dangerous, streaky 3-point shooter.

“She scores and she handles the ball, and she shoots the 3-pointer really well,” Evans said. “When she’s got a little space, we want her to shoot the 3. She shot us back into some games last year when we were down double digits.”

The other half of East’s small senior class is Jadyn Featherstone.

“She’s the kind of player you love to have,” Evans said. “Any role you ask of her, she’ll do her best.”

The key to the large junior class is Mary Church, a guard who missed most of her sophomore season with a knee surgery.

Church, who played at Gray Stone her freshman year, scored 21 points to lead East to one of its best victories — at Lake Norman Charter — but the pain in her knee turned out to be a broken kneecap. The last game she played was in the Christmas tournament, where East won two out of three.

Church had an impressive comeback after surgery, lighting it up for a high-powered AAU team against national-level opponents and winning MVP awards at several college camps. She’s a point guard who can drill 3-pointers. She’s not big, but she has the skills to be a proficient D-II player.

East subtracted about 12 points a game with the loss of Lindsey Cook and Peyton Whicker, but Church can compensate for that, and then some.

“Having Mary healthy helps us in a lot of ways,” Evans said. “She gives us another shooter and another ball-handler. And she plays with a different kind of energy. She brings a lot of energy.”

Kady Collins averaged 5.8 points and is one of the taller Mustangs at 5-foot-11. She had a 17-point outburst against Central Davidson.

Another tall junior is 6-footer Isis Smith. She played mostly on the jayvees last season, but she did get some varsity experience.

Aniyah Marshall is a strong junior post player who can bang inside.

Kori Miller is an experienced, hard-nosed hustler who will battle on the boards.

“She gives all kinds of effort. and she’ll always box out,” Evans said.

Sadie Featherstone, Jadyn’s younger sister, was the Rowan County cross country champ, so she obviously can run all night. Evans is hopeful she’ll also knock down some 3-pointers.

Savannah Wise is a varsity newcomer, but is well-known for track and field. She won some 100s and 200s in meets last spring, and speed translates very well to the basketball court.

The sophomores are Ava Alderman and Lily Kluttz, a guard who played varsity as a freshman.

Alderman is being counted on for rebounds and post defense.

Kluttz got a big increase in playing time in January and finished strong. She scored a career-high 14 points in East’s 59-53 SPC tournament loss to Lake Norman Charter that ended the season.

“I remember the game we won at Northwest Cabarrus where we had three girls foul out, and Lily stepped up and handled the ball,” Evans said. “She competes hard and she got some great experience last year.”

Most of the Mustangs are versatile athletes who excel in softball, track or cross country. Waddell is the county’s best golfer.

Evans’ goal is to take those multi-sport athletes and mold them into a basketball team that can compete in the South Piedmont Conference.

East isn’t likely to be up there with West Rowan and Robinson at the top of the standings at the end of the season, but the Mustangs have a chance to be in the top group in the nine-team league.

“We’ve got some great girls and we’re looking for a special season,” Evans said. “We’re going to surprise people.”

 

EAST ROWAN GIRLS

Coach: Bri Evans (3rd season, 17-28)

2022-23: 11-13overall, 7-7 3A South Piedmont Conference (5th)

Playoffs: Did not make playoffs

Top returners: Hannah Waddell, Kady Collins

Key addition: Mary Church (healthy)

League: 3A SPC (Robinson, South Rowan, Carson, West Rowan, Lake Norman Charter, NW Cabarrus, Central Cabarrus, Concord)