Basketball: War Eagles Primed To Continue Momentum

 STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR Tom Olsen, Rogers Heritage coach, talks to his team during practice Thursday at the school in Rogers.
STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR Tom Olsen, Rogers Heritage coach, talks to his team during practice Thursday at the school in Rogers.

Rogers Heritage boys basketball coach Tom Olsen guided the War Eagles to the best season in the school history a year ago, but he's hopeful this year's group can take another step forward.

All-state guard Crist Olsen and his backcourt mate Wyatt Kinnamon both graduated, taking away a combined 25 points per game of scoring, but that's not going to be an issue, Tom Olsen said.

Rogers Heritage War Eagles

Date^Opponent^Time

Nov. 11^Gentry (benefit)^7:30 p.m.

Nov. 21^Russellville^7:30 p.m.

Nov. 25^at Shiloh Christian^7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1-6^at Carthage Invitaional^TBD

Dec. 11-13^Arvest Hoopfest^TBD

Dec. 19^at Siloam Springs^7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29-31^at Rolla Tournament^TBD

Jan. 9^at Springdale High*^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13^Rogers High*^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16^at Fort Smith Northside*^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20^at Fort Smith Southside*^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 23^Fayetteville*^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 27^Bentonville^7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30^at Springdale Har-Ber*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6^Springdale High*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10^at Rogers High*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 13^Fort Smith Northside*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 17^Fort Smith Southside*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 20^at Fayetteville*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 24^at Bentonville*^7:30 p.m.

Feb. 27^Springdale Har-Ber*^7:30 p.m.

  • — 7A-West Conference game

Returning starters Julian Jensen, Connor Hirsh and Dane Olsen have gotten stronger and their skills have improved. Joe Belnap, a 6-4 senior, enjoyed a good offseason and should be an inside presence

Junior Lexus Hobbs moved to Rogers late in the spring and will figure prominently in the Heritage plans. He has spent all summer with the War Eagles at team camps and has blended well, Olsen said.

"In the aggregate, I think we've more than made up for the loss of point production," Olsen said. "I liked where we were coming into the this season, but adding a player like Lexus, with his quickness and athleticism, is going to help us out tremendously."

Senior Irvin Menendez, who played on the junior varsity as a sophomore but chose not to play last year, could also give the War Eagles a lift offensively off the bench, Olsen said.

Olsen said this year's team is similar to a year ago in work ethic.

"I think the leadership put forth last year has carried over," Olsen said. "I think they saw what happened and what resulted from that extra effort and I think they want a part of that."

That means when Olsen comes into War Eagle Arena before 7 a.m. most mornings, there is already players hosting shots up in the back gym.

Olsen believes this team has a chance to return to the state tournament, but the group will have to overcome the same issues that plagued last year's team.

"We'll have to overcome not having that aircraft carrier," Olsen said. "A big question mark for us again will be if we are able to defend that big low post guy and keep them off the boards."

The 6-foot-5 Jensen has added 10-15 pounds and Belnap weighs 200 pounds, but teams at the top of the 7A-West all have at least one player in the 6-7 to 6-8 range.

But the War Eagles also can present a versatile lineup that includes Belnap, Jensen, the 6-2 Hirsh and 6-2 junior Marcus Breedlove and Dane Olsen.

"We think four of those guys can be solid around the basket, but three of them have also shown the ability to play off the dribble and make perimeter shots," Olsen said.

Hirsh admitted he's worked hard to improve his perimeter shot. The senior averaged 13 points per game a year ago, but said conference foes took away some of his aggressive drives to the basket.

"I've made one 3-point shot my whole career at Heritage, so I've worked on becoming a better shooter," Hirsh said. "During conference, especially the second time around teams like Bentonville and Har-Ber all were sagging off of me and not expecting me to shoot. If I can do that this year, they will have to pick one one.

"AAU ball has helped me a lot, too, because I played more of a guard. I was able to work on my ball-handling."

Sports on 11/16/2014

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