Williams, Moore eager to lead Mules

Two Poplar Bluff seniors look to step up and hold down the post for the upcoming basketball season.

Returning bigs Torrance Williams and Preston Moore have spent many hours in the gym this summer in preparation to lead the Mules toward a successful season. The Mules finished 10-16 last season and made it to the second round of the Class 6 District 1 Tournament before falling to Kirkwood High School.

Despite opening their season with a loss against Kickapoo, Williams said it was a good test to determine what they need to work on as the season progresses. He said the early exit last season stung, and he will enter his final season with a completely different mentality.

Williams noticed many corrections that the Mules needed to make from their first game, and he aims to lead by example and correct them.

“A few issues I noticed was us not being in the right spots,” Williams said. “I think we need to communicate a little more and keep our defense at a high level because sometimes we can let up a little too much. The season just started, so we have a lot of time to polish those things.”

Williams said the first couple of practices have focused on conditioning as coach (William) Durden likes for them to be in tip-top shape for the season.

“We’ve been running and gunning a lot,” Williams said. “I don’t think coach likes to see us standing around in practice. Despite the outcome, he wants to see us go 100% and give our best efforts on the court. We trust him, and I believe everyone on this team has given that.

Besides having a strong run in the postseason, Williams would like to see the whole team contribute because he believes everyone on the team can get a bucket if needed.

Moore has high hopes for the Mules as they return with eight players with varsity experience, including four of the top five scorers from last season.

Senior Preston Moore takes a midrange shot as the Mules faced off against Kickapoo High School.DAR/D'Courtland Christian

“I feel pretty good about this year,” Moore said. “We've got a good group of seniors who've been playing together for a while, so we're coming in with some good chemistry and looking to do some damage. I’ve been in the gym all summer, lifting weights and training to get stronger. I want to be prepared to pick up the slack in the post, and getting stronger is the key.”

As one of the returning seniors, Moore plans to be more aggressive by stepping into a leadership role because he has younger guys watching him and wants to show them the importance of coming to the gym to get better every day.