First in a series of reports on local basketball teams.

By Mike London

mike.london@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — The top seven Falcons return from a stout, athletic 17-7 team.

They’re ready for bigger and better things.

“We had a great summer,” West coach Ashley Poole said. “We played in the North Meck Invitational, played the big 4As, the North Mecks, the Mallard Creeks, and we made it to the championship game. So we’re very excited about this season.”

West’s junior class — that’s Lauren Arnold (16.7 points per game), De’Mya Phifer (15.7), Emma Clarke (10.5), Makaylah Tenor (8.0) and Mya Edwards (5.3)  — are growing up together. They’ve played major minutes since they were varsity freshmen. Together, they’ve scored 1,863 points. They’ve gone 27-11, while dealing with COVID and dealing with the fallout from a brawl with Northwest Cabarrus. They’ve learned basketball lessons from the more experienced Carson girls who handed them five of those 11 losses.

Arnold is one of the county’s best, a smooth wing player who shoots the lights out and gets after it on the boards. Clarke, an early commit to Tennessee softball, is a soaring 6-foot athlete who can make turnaround jumpers. She’s got crazy energy. Phifer is lightning-quick and gets to the rim. Tenor and Edwards contribute offensively and defensively and battle on the boards.

“All five are good players,” Poole said. “Lauren can do everything, can bring the ball up if we need her to and she’s really hard to guard. Emma does softball and volleyball, so we don’t see her until basketball practice starts, but she’s such a special athlete that it looks like she’s been in the gym all summer. De’Mya is hard to stay in front of.”

Throw seniors D’Ajua “DeDe” Cuthbertson and Sarah Durham into West’s returning mix. They bring experience. They’ve been on the floor in playoff games.  They haven’t scored a lot,  but the Falcons have needed their scrappiness more than points. Cuthbertson can defend just about anyone. Durham doesn’t back down from anyone. They’re good people to have around.

If it was just those seven, West would have a chance to be one of the best teams in 3A.

But there’s a lot more. The heat has been turned up in Mount Ulla.

Jamecia Huntley was a huge part of Salisbury’s success the last three years. She’s transferred to West for her senior season.

She averaged 9.4 points for the Hornets as a junior, although scoring average has never provided an accurate picture of her value to a team. She helped the Hornets go 71-5 during her time there. She’s a rebounder, a defender and a passer who gets points off the offensive board and transition. She can really run and really jump. She’s sort of the perfect high school power forward and should be a very good college small forward. She’s still uncommitted, although there should be plenty of interest.

Not only does she give West more size, she brings priceless winning experience. She’s been in serious pressure cookers —  regional finals where every possession mattered, state championship games. She’s been places her younger teammates want to go but haven’t been.

At least not yet.

“Super-athletic, tough and she does have a winning mentality,” Poole said. “She’s experienced a lot.”

Poole is also bubbling over with excitement when she talks about gifted freshman Tiara Thompson.

“True point guard, special kid and she’s just got it,” Poole said. “She’s got a chance to be one of the best to come through this county. West Middle jumped on her back and rode her to a championship last season. She’s that good.”

What all this means is that the Falcons have nine players who are at least good. Some are outstanding.

There’s only one ball. Only five can play at a time. That’s the rules.

It’s a situation that Salisbury was able to juggle successfully last season. The Hornets had a bench full of players who would have started for other schools in the county. They found some minutes for everyone, had some ego-free play players accept roles and won the 2A state championship.

West is in a similar position now.  It can be stressful, but having too many good players is better than not having enough.

West has a chance to go a long way. You find the people who care more about wins than scoring averages, and you roll with them.

“Our girls have been through a lot,” Poole said. “But we’re more mature now. The way we played this summer showed me we’ve grown up a lot.”

Poole plans to make use of a five-quarter rule that will allow young players to play in the jayvee games and still be available for a quarter of action off the varsity bench.

Sophomore Kennedy Clawson and freshmen Aubrey Martin and Katie Hoffner played well this summer.

They’ll most likely be jayvees, but they’ll get varsity minutes. There are going to be some blowouts.

Page is new to the school. Rankin-Matthews has been at West and decided to play this season.

“They’re working, and they’re going to contribute,” said Poole, who has coached West in exactly 200 games.

West hasn’t had a losing season since 2013-14. Poole has coached more wins than anyone in program history, one more than Toni Wheeler.

With a 127-73 record, Poole is eighth on the county’s all-time wins list for girls basketball.

West has had games in which 10 different players scored. At the very least, this transition season should be a winning season.

“We know there are going to be bumps in the road,” Poole said. “But this group of kids is eager to learn. If they pick up on a few things, they’ll surprise some people.”

 

West Rowan girls basketball at a glance

Coach: Ashley Poole (10th season, 144-80 career)

2021-22: 17-7 overall, 11-3 3A South Piedmont Conference (2nd)

Playoffs: Lost in second round to East Lincoln

Conference: SPC (Carson, East Rowan, South Rowan, Lake Norman Charter, Concord, NW Cabarrus, Central Cabarrus)

Top returners: Lauren Arnold, Emma Clarke, De’Mya Phifer, Makaylah Tenor, Mya Edwards

Key additions: Transfer  Jamecia Huntley, freshman Tiara Thompson