By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Nov. 12, 2002
The Clarkdale Lady Bulldogs are looking forward to an improved season on the hardwood.
The unprecedented success of the Bulldog football team has already backed up the season opener for coach Jeff Davis' Lady Bulldogs basketball team to later this week. Last Friday night's date with rival Southeast Lauderdale has been pushed back to Dec. 7 because of Clarkdale's first-ever playoff game in football.
The Lady Bulldogs will instead open the season with the Lauderdale County Tournment on Thursday at Meridian Community College.
Davis welcomes back four starters off last year's 8-22 team. Two of the team's top three scorers are back and the team could be a little bigger inside with a freshmen joining the starting lineup.
What Davis wants to see more than anything is consistent play.
A key will be keeping a loose leash on the team's leading scorer in 5-foot-3 junior point guard Felicia Kirksey. Kirksey averaged 10.5 points per game.
Clarkdale hopes to get a leadership boost from two-guard JorD'an Orr who is just off leading the Lady Bulldogs to State Championships in both fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball.
Danielle Gaddis, a 5-7 sophomore forward, was the team's third leading scorer last year at 9.7 ppg.
Inside, the Lady Bulldogs will have senior Misti Alexander and 5-11 freshman Jayme Hales.
Big sister Jodi Hales, a 6-foot senior, will be one of the first off the bench. Hales has battled back from a devastating knee injury in her sophomore year.
Sophomore forward Veronica Newell will a forward reserve while Rebekah Nicklas will be counted on to spell relief for Kirksey.
The team's other senior in Latosha Dixon will give the club another outside shooter.
Clarkdale will compete in the rugged Division 5-2A which features two teams that should make it to the Big House this season in Williams&Sullivan and Newton High.