By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

First in a series of previews on local basketball teams …

GRANITE  QUARRY — Bri Johnson Evans enters her fourth season as East Rowan’s head girls basketball coach with no shortage of optimism.

There’s a reason for the optimism. She will guide an experienced team — eight seniors, six juniors. The plan is for all the freshmen and sophomores to gain experience on the jayvees, which is quite a luxury for any girls basketball program.

“It’s a completely different mindset this season because of all the experience we have,” Evans said. “It just feels different. We’ve got good numbers and good players.”

East’s records under Evans have been trending in the right direction. There was a 6-15 season that was followed by 11-13, and then last season’s 12-12. The Mustangs were a classic middle of the pack team. They split their 16 South Piedmont Conference contests.

Statistically, East has been virtually the same squad three straight seasons — averaging 42 to 43 points per game, while allowing between 48 and 50.  East plays good team defense, even better than it looks. The Mustangs’ stats from last season are skewed somewhat by two lopsided losses to 3A state champ West Rowan, which clobbered everyone, and a 77-33 loss to a talented and senior-heavy North Rowan team.

East’s struggles have been on the offensive end. Too many turnovers and not enough made shots and free throws. It’s not easy to win basketball games these days when you’re only averaging 42 points. It’s not impossible, but it’s not easy.

If there’s one game that summed up East’s 2023-24 season it was the 36-33 SPC tourney loss to Central Cabarrus that finished it and left the Mustangs on the wrong side of the bubble for the 3A West playoff bracket for the second year in a row. When you can hold an athletic team to 36 points, you’ve got to figure out a way to win.

Maybe the Mustangs can win more of those grinders this season.

East graduated a lot of hustle with Jadyn Featherstone and about 20 percent of the team’s offense in Hannah Waddell. Waddell was an exceptional 3-point shooter, averaged 8.3 points as a senior and scored 782 in her four-year varsity career.

East returns emotional leader Mary Church and floor leader Lily Kluttz. Joining those two will be many of the school’s best athletes. East has some rugged rebounders and fast defenders.

Church made a comeback from a serious knee injury, averaged a team-best 12.6 points per game and was second team All-Rowan County as a junior. She committed to Meredith College and can be an impact player in Division III. She shoots the ball well enough, but she would rather drive for three-point plays and free-throw opportunities. She undergoes a Bruce Banner-to-Incredible Hulk sort of transformation when a game starts. She’s as pleasant as a day at the beach until tip-off, but she plays the games with some fury. East just has to keep her on the floor and out of foul trouble because she’s going to fight for every rebound on her side of the floor and contest every shot in her vicinity. She had back-to-back games with 26 and 25 points last season.

“Mary does play hard,” Evans said. “She can shoot and she can handle the ball.”

Kluttz averaged a modest 3.2 points as a varsity sophomore, so the Mustangs hope she can double that.

“Her most important role as the point guard is going to be handling the ball and making decisions,” Evans said. “She’ll get the ball where it needs to go.”

East needs someone to score in double figures beside Church. The best bet is senior Kady Collins, who was a middle blocker for East’s volleyball team. She averaged 6.1 points per game last season, with a high of 17.

“Kady has some size and plays in the post, but she can shoot the ball like a guard,” Evans said. “She has a chance to be pretty dynamic.”

Evans is optimistic that Isis Smith, a senior post player who averaged 2.8 points, is ready for a breakout season.

“With her ability, there’s really no reason for her not to have a double-double every night,” Evans said.

Senior forward Kori Miller has been around for a while. She knows how to play and where to be.

“Her knowledge and experience, just understanding what to do, puts her ahead of some of our girls,” Evans said.

Guards Savannah Wise (3.4 points per game) and Sadie Featherstone are fast track athletes who excel on defense.

“Savannah cam make some 3-pointers, but defense is where she’ll be really big,” Evans said. “She’ll pick some pockets and she’ll be a good finisher on fast breaks. Featherstone is aggressive and is a strong driver.”

Also back are posts Ava Alderman and Aniyah Marshall, who will provide rebounding and inside finishes, and guard Izzy Stepp, who will be counted on for 3-pointers and defensive energy.

Varsity newcomers include tennis player Ava Quick, Kaley Pfister, the Rowan County golf champ, and Cailey Ludwig, another member of the county champion golf team.

“Ava is a post who can really go,” Evans said. “Kaley works hard on offense and defense and has a nice shot. Cailey can help us with her ball-handling.”

Kiarah Ewing is a senior new to the program. Evans likes her shooting ability.

Evans, who starred at Catawba a few years go, will be assisted by her husband, Trey Evans, a former Catawba linebacker who is a football coach at Ledford High. Also assisting are Olivia McCray and Haley Dalton. The new jayvee coach is Grayson Harris, who was a post player for Pfeiffer’s women’s program.

Evans is expecting her first child in May, but doesn’t expect that arrival to have an impact on East’s basketball season.

“I’ve told the girls we’re just adding another player to the roster,” Evans said.

East hasn’t been a major force in the county for a while and has watched Carson, Salisbury and West Rowan rack up state titles, while North Rowan has had some playoff runs.

“We’re looking at it this year like it’s wide open, more wide open than it’s been in a long time,” Evans said. “We can have a really good season.”