Bentonville Looks To Pick Up Pace

BENTONVILLE — The makeup of Bentonville’s girls basketball team has Tom Halbmeier believing the Lady Tigers can pick up the pace a little bit this season.

“We’re going to let them run a little bit and use their athleticism,” he said of this year’s group, which opens the season with a Nov. 16 game against Pea Ridge. “This group will be better in the transition game as far as handling the ball and pushing the ball down the fl oor.”

One thing that won’t change will be Bentonville’s leader on the fl oor. Montana Lewis, a 5-foot-11 senior who has orally committed to sign with Harding University, averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds per game last season, but she could see time at guard as well as forward.

But what the Lady Tigers can put on the floor with Lewis will help lighten the load on their leader.

“We’re not going to have two good players on the floor and fi ll the rest of the holes,” Halbmaier said. “I think we will be more aggressiveout there and more balanced with our scoring.

“This year’s group has a lot of youth, and the experience we have coming back make for a good combination. We have some shooters, some scorers and some slashers that will take the ball to the rack more.”

There is a battle going on for playing time opposite Lewis when she’s in Bentonville’s backcourt. Those candidates include Niki Wilson (5-6 junior), Brooke Mabeus (5-5 sophomore), Shelby Walker (5-6 senior), Taylor Lee (5-8 sophomore) and Essence Baker (5-8 senior).

“There’s some good competition going on between our guards,” Halbmaier said. “The sophomores are providing some good competition, and our seniors are continuing to battle as well.”

In the frontcourt, 5-11 junior post Whitney Sandmann is Bentonville’s lone returning starter after averaging six points and five rebounds per game last season. Lewis’ fl exibility will allow her to play at aforward spot on occasion, while others vying for playing time at the post include Michelle Biittner (5-10 junior) Jessica Stout (5-11 senior) and Jessi Murch (5-11 senior).

Halbmaier likes the combination of strength and speed his frontcourt players provide to the position. The combination of players will allow Halbmaier to use nine to 10 players in the rotation during a game.

Halbmaier, however, would settle using fewer players if necessary.

“Using more than 10 players isn’t good for the fl ow of the game,” he said. “ We’regoing to be trying to find the right combination on the fl oor.

“But I’m not afraid of using my starting five for the whole game. It’s about putting your best product on the fl oor for 32 minutes.”