PEA RIDGE — Pea Ridge coach Charley Clark hangs his hat on defense. The Blackhawks coach likes to say that anyone can score, but it takes a special player to excel on the defensive end of the fl oor.
It took Kasey Cooper a while to fully grasp that concept.
Cooper has always been a scorer, averaging 15 points a game a year ago, but the 6-foot-3 senior was never much of a factor on the defensive end, his coach said. But that is no longer the case as Cooper is a force on both ends of the court.
“We used to hide him on defense and put him on the other team’s worst off ensive player,” Clark said. “But now, he is actually guarding people. He is 6-3 and has long arms, so he can create some havoc.”
Cooper is averaging 20 points and five rebounds a game and now not only plays better defense, he sometimes gets the job of guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player.
“It was just a matter of realizing that defense is required,” Clark said. “Once he got that taken care of, it made him more of a complete player. He is not just a gunner.”
And that is one reason why Pea Ridge (22-8) is one victory away from the school’s first Class 4A state tournament berth
Pea Ridge will open 4A North Regional Tournament play Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against Subiaco Academy and a win will lock up a berth in next week’s state tournament in Heber Springs. Pea Ridge was ousted from the regional tournament last season after losing to Clarksville in the fi rst round.
Cooper not only got the “play better defense, or else” lecture from Clark, he also got it at home from his father, J.R. Cooper.
“My dad has always stressedthat if I want to play college ball, I had to step it up on defense,” Cooper said. “Coach has been stressing that, too. I want to play on the next level and I knew I had to pick up my play on defense. You have to want to play defense. I’m a little more sore, but I’ll take a little more sore to play good defense.”
Clark also said Cooper has improved his play on the offensive end of the court his senior season, which has included several 30-plus points scoring games.
“Kasey is more than just a shooter,” Clark said. “This year he has turned himselfinto a scorer. He can penetrate and that has made him a better player.”
Cooper said he just takes what opposing defenses give him.
“I have developed more into a complete basketball player,” Cooper said.
Clark expects Subiaco Academy to follow a trend that started in January and key its defensive game plan around stopping Cooper.
“He has not seen an open shot since district started, but that opens up the paint for Cameron (Thompson),” Clark said. “But he has a green light all the way. He knows it, weknow and everybody in the gym knows it. Any open shot for him is a good shot.”
Sports, Pages 8 on 02/22/2011