New Salem girls look to build on quick start

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- For a team that lost its starting point guard and a team that has no one older than a sophomore, the New Salem Baptist Academy girls' squad at least got off to a solid start.

The team raced to a 4-1 record last week after winning a tournament title at Blytheville, Ark.

"They have some good competition down there and we did very well. I'm very pleased," coach Jerome Gaines said.

New Salem went 19-6 last year and lost to Eagle Ridge in the finals of the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association state tournament. The team lost senior point guard Jenifer Meek from that squad; Meek was second team all-state last year and averaged 16 points.

Despite that loss, New Salem returns four starters from last year's squad, including its leading scorer.

Freshman point guard Sarah Green (5-foot-2) averaged 18 points last year as an eighth-grader and is expected to be a big contributor this year. Forward MaKenzie Jones (5-4) and 5-8 center Holly Jordan combined to average 10 points as freshmen last year. Jones led the team in rebounding with eight a game.

Guard Mary Poole (5-2) averaged seven points as an eighth-grader. The team has only nine players on the team none of which are seniors or juniors. Despite his team's experience and size Gaines said he has the depth the team needs.

"I can put any of the girls in and not miss a beat," Gaines says.

Gaines said he wants the team to run a full-court defense that puts significant pressure on the ball. He also likes his team to run and gun up and down the floor on offense, which could lead to a turnover problem for the young team.

"Oh yes, we make some turnovers," Gaines said. "But our defense is our strength and it usually leads to most of our offense."

The MCSAA consists of about 200 teams that are divided into four classes according to school size. The classes then, in turn, are divided into conferences. New Salem is in Class 2A and the Ozark Christian Athletic conference.

The team's only loss in its first five games came against conference opponent Southern Missouri in the second game of the season. Southern Missouri, a team New Salem defeated three times last year, is one of three other teams in New Salem's conference, which includes Eagle Ridge (Cape Girardeau), Peoples Christian (Arnold, Mo.) and Southern Missouri Christian (Poplar Bluff).

Gaines sees no reason his team can't repeat last year's success or even improve upon it.

"I would be extremely disappointed if we did not win 20 games this season," Gaines said. "I'm very confident we will."