At times, the Landrum girls’ basketball team was dominant last season. The Lady Cardinals finished 14-10 after a first round playoff loss to Ware Shoals.
The biggest loss this season from that team is Jordan Jenkins, but the new head coach Deon Brice is excited about what’s in store for the Lady Cardinals.
Landrum is returning eight starters this year, including starting point guard Macy Atkins and senior forward Skylar Henderson.
Henderson brings toughness to the floor with scrappy defense, hard rebounding and relentless offense.
“I’m excited about this year,” Henderson said. “I think we are going to surprise a lot of people.”
For Atkins, this year’s team is going to bring some intangibles to the table.
“I expect us to work harder this year and hopefully win a state title,” Atkins said. “We are going to work together and improve as a team.”
For Brice, this is his first year as the head coach of the Lady Cardinals. Last season, he was on the bench next to retired head coach Roy Parton as an assistant. He’s the Landrum Middle School football coach and coached middle school basketball in District Five.
What’s he going to instill in this team on the hardwood?
“This year’s team is going to be aggressive,” he said. “I think we’ll be able to move the ball up and down the court quickly.”
The goals for this season are simple, Brice said. First, the Lady Cardinals want to contend for a region championship and second, make the playoffs.