Posted on November 15, 2018.
By Thomas Sellers Jr.
In recent seasons the Millington Lady Trojans have been young and undersized.
While the youth movement continues with nine freshmen on the roster in mid-November, Millington Head Coach Bruce Marshall said the Lady Trojans have some size to combat their 2018-19 schedule.
In Marshall’s tenure as leader of the Lady Trojans, he won a Region title with interior players Treasure Redding and Tiara Caldwell. And just a couple of years ago, Marshall guided Millington to Regionals behind center Glenda Garner.
But since her graduation in 2016, the Lady Trojans have employed a speedy lineup and tried to shoot long range toward victory.
“I really like the kids that I’ve got as far as a lot more size,” Marshall noted about 2018-19. “We’ve got a lot more size than in the past. We’re going to be a lot more athletic than we’ve been in the past three or four years. They’re a group of kids that I don’t think they’re going to be scared to work.”
The work is being led by the senior duo of Taylor Payne and Kiara Kemp. Marshall noted Kemp and Payne will be assets on the perimeter and interior.
Experience will also come from the duo of junior Sky Clark and sophomore Alexis Jordan. Jordan will see time out point/shooting guard. Clark is a dual threat player with perimeter skills and ability to play down low in the post.
“They’ve got to come in everyday and help show the kids how to work hard,” Marshall said. “Some of them may not really understand how to work hard all the time. Those upperclassmen have to come in and work because all 15 are fighting for minutes.”
The makeup of the roster includes the two seniors, a pair of juniors and a couple of sophomores. The rest of the 2018-19 Lady Trojans just arrived from middle school.
“Yesterday before practice we talked about two words they’re going to hear from me all season — it’s effort and energy,” Marshall said. “If this group of kids could learn to bring the effort and energy everyday to practice, to games, to everything we do, we’ll have opportunities to be successful this year.”
District 15-2A will be more competitive in 2018-19 with all teams having a shot at the top spot. Haywood has graduated All-State player Jamirah Shutes. With Shutes now at The University of Memphis, the Lady Tomcats will have to find offense elsewhere. Teams like Covington, Ripley, Fayette-Ware and Bolivar Center look to move up into one of the final four spots come February.
The Lady Trojans will host the 2018-19 District 15-2A Tournament in a few months. Marshall said his team plans to be hosting and playing in the tournament.
“I think the league is wide open this year,” he said. “At least some teams got some kids that moved in unexpectedly, it’s going to be a dogfight every night. Anyone of the six could win the district.
“Effort and energy,” Marshall concluded were the key pieces for his team. “This summer we could score. It has been hard for us to score the past two or three years. I didn’t have half of these kids. Briana (Fields), my manager had to play at camp and we could still score.”
