SPRINGDALE -- Heather Hunsucker spent her first few years at Springdale High using her coaching connections to try to find small-college landing spots for a handful of players.
Times have changed around Bulldog Gym.
Springdale High Lady Bulldogs Schedule
Date^Opponent^Time
Nov. 22^at Mountain Home^4 p.m.
Nov. 25^at Russellville^6 p.m.
Dec. 4-6^Durant (Okla.) Lion Classic^TBA
Dec. 8, 12, 13^Conway Tournament^TBA
Dec. 19^at Alma^6 p.m.
Dec. 29-31^Neosho (Mo.) Tournament^TBA
Jan. 6^at Siloam Springs^6 p.m.
Jan. 9^Rogers Heritage*^6 p.m.
Jan. 13^at Springdale Har-Ber*^6 p.m.
Jan. 16^at Fayetteville*^6 p.m.
Jan. 20^Bentonville*^6 p.m.
Jan. 23^at Fort Smith Northside*^6 p.m.
Jan. 27^Fort Smith Southside*^6 p.m.
Jan. 30^at Rogers High*^6 p.m.
Feb. 6^at Rogers Heritage*^6 p.m.
Feb. 10^Springdale Har-Ber*^6 p.m.
Feb. 13^Fayetteville*^6 p.m.
Feb. 17^at Bentonville*^6 p.m.
Feb. 20^Fort Smith Northside*^6 p.m.
Feb. 24^at Fort Smith Southside*^6 p.m.
Feb. 27^Rogers High*^6 p.m.
* — 7A-West game
The fourth-year Springdale coach estimates as many as 10 players on this year's team may play collegiately, including six potential Division I prospects.
"We've got talent," Hunsucker said. "I've been around teams with a lot of talent. This team is as talented (as any)."
The influx of talent in the sophomore and junior classes have the Lady Bulldogs poised to contend for the 7A-West title a year after they finished third with a contributing cast largely comprised of sophomores. Those sophomores are back with a year of experience and an understanding of what to expect in 7A basketball.
All-state junior point guard Kierra Lang will again run the show after averaging 12.7 points, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game last year, all-team highs.
Chasidee Owens may be poised for a breakout season after averaging 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last year. The junior wing can guard as many as four positions for the Lady Bulldogs and will also fill the role of backup point guard.
"She has looked fantastic," Hunsucker said. "She's going to be able to post you. She's going to be able to step out and hit the 3. Her range has extended. I would consider her a very good shooter at this point. She's really worked on her shot a lot to make it more consistent. And then she can defend a post or guard."
Junior posts Ryann Goodsell and Desiree Mack each improved over the summer.
Goodsell honed her all-around game and is attracting interest from Arkansas. Mack refined her perimeter skills and could present matchup problems playing on the wing in big lineups.
"I feel like our bench is deeper now, especially in the post," Lang said.
Sophomore 6-foot-1 twins Peanut and Precious Brown are additions who will provide the depth behind Goodsell and Mack. They bring similar but unique skill sets to the table.
"Precious has a tendency to want to be a screener and passer," Hunsucker said. "She loves to set screens, free people up, make a good pass. Peanut is a little more versatile. She likes to be outside more. She'll drive on you a little more. She's a little quicker with getting off the floor rebounding."
There is enough talent that Hunsucker hasn't established a set rotation or starting lineup yet. And it may not happen in the opening weeks of the season.
"The hardest part for me is I see combinations, but how are we going to work best together?" Hunsucker said. "Your five best ones aren't always the five ones that work (best) together on the floor. We're still trying to figure out combinations. ... Probably for the first few games, you might see a different five every time we take the floor. I feel good about whatever lineup we put out there."
The Lady Bulldogs will get a chance to prove themselves early before jumping into conference play in a loaded 7A-West. The nonconference schedule includes a trips to a stacked Durant, Okla., tournament and a Conway tournament that could lead to matchups against Conway and Greenwood, the defending 7A and 6A state champions, respectively.
"We're not scared of anyone, but we respect everybody," senior guard Ja'Vonda Daniels said.
The Lady Bulldogs open the season 4 p.m. Saturday at Mountain Home.
Sports on 11/17/2014