New Salem girls preview: Green, Poole lead Eagles' state title chase

Coming off a year in which it lost only four games en route to the Missouri Christian School Activities Association Class 1A title, size and inexperience will present obstacles in the way of a repeat for New Salem Baptist Academy of Marble Hill.

New Salem, which has finished either first or second in the state tournament the last three years, lost four players off last year's team -- including the bulk of the rebounding and defense.

The Eagles will look to three-time all-state player Sarah Green to lead the team. Green averaged about 21 points last season, and teammate Laura Poole will return averaging 11.

"They are both good shooters," coach Jerome Gaines said. "I've got two good scorers, and we're just going to have to make some improvements on defense and cut down on the mistakes. That's the only thing we can hope for right now."

The Eagles will feature six girls who are in eighth grade or below and no seniors. Gaines said the team is smaller and younger than last year but more athletic.

"We just have to work on a lot of fundamentals and bring some of these young girls along," he said. "But overall, the girls we have are very athletic. We hope to play a little better defense this year."

Gaines hopes to improve enough by the end of the season to make another run at a state title.

"I think we can get to the semifinals of state," he said, "but I would say we're probably going to be a little better than .500. We're hoping that these other girls will develop and we'll be very competitive at state."

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NEW SALEM BAPTIST ACADEMY GIRLS

Coach: Jerome Gaines, fifth season

Assistants: none

Last season: 24-4, MCSAA Class 1A state champion

Conference: St. Louis Metro Athletic Conference

Returning starters

Sarah Green 5-6 Jr. G

Laura Poole 5-5 So. F

Kelsey Cook 5-5 Fr. F

Kelsey Barlow 5-7 8th G

Rest of roster

Martha Poole, 5-7, 7th, C; Rana Douglas, 5-3, 7th, G; Sarah Long, 5-7, 7th, C; Chelsey Tucker, 5-2, 7th, G; Leah Jones, 5-0, 6th, G

Remaining schedule

Dec. 5 -- at Eagle Ridge Christian, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 -- Liberty, 6 p.m.

Dec. 9 -- COS, 6 p.m.

Dec. 13 -- Westwood, 6 p.m.

Dec. 16 -- at St. Louis Christian, 6 p.m.

Jan. 6 -- at Arnold, Mo., Peoples, TBA

Jan. 7 -- Warrenton LCA, noon

Jan. 10 -- at Hillsboro COS, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 -- Eagle Ridge Christian, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 -- Collinsville, Ill., 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 -- at Poplar Bluff, Mo., Westwood, 6 p.m.

Feb. 3 -- Liberty

Feb. 6-11 -- SLMCAA tournament, at Jefferson County, TBA

Feb. 15-18 -- MCSAA state tournament, TBA