Local teams amped for 24-25 season

The hardwood season has just tipped off throughout Texas high school basketball gymnasiums and local hoop squads such as the Aledo Ladycats and the Weatherford Lady Kangaroos have stepped onto the hardwood to begin their respective 2024-25 campaigns. 

Both schools' varsity programs will feature new head coaches as Donnie Ott takes over the reigns from recently retired Nikki Hyles in Aledo, while former Weatherford assistant Caleb King took the helm in Weatherford after Jeff Guice began a new chapter of his coaching career at Gunter High School.

Ladycats out to continue tradition

For the Ladycats, Ott – a 26-year coaching veteran – is eager to continue the strong tradition of a reputable Ladycats basketball program.

“I am looking forward to continuing the success of the Ladycat Basketball Program,” Ott said. “It’s exciting to have a team with a great mix of youth and experience. I’m going into my 26th year and having coached in this area before for nine years, so I am very confident in my abilities to perform this job and continue to add to the rich traditions of this program. It is my hope that my personal experience coaching deep in the playoffs and at the state-championship level will

help to enrich this program’s potential throughout the season.”

Ott brings a bevy of high quality experience to the table for a new-look Ladycats squad that lost key seniors such as Natalie Anderson but is returning key pieces like Elizabeth Griffin and Brooklyn Dempsey. Aledo will get more front line reinforcements from seniors Kinley Elms and Ella Isbell after their postseason run in volleyball concludes.

“We currently have great leadership with several returning players from last year,” Ott said. “The leaders in this program have been extremely coachable and have shown a willingness to learn. They have been instrumental in creating a po

sitive culture that will lead to success both on and off the court.”

Furthermore, Ott said he hopes to see his team develop of tough, hard-nosed mindset, starting on the defensive end to make the opposition work hard to score, and he hopes to see the players achieve all things in unison on the court.

“I am hoping we embody team spirit, toughness, togetherness and commitment to a culture that will make the Aledo Independent School District and community proud,” Ott said. “I do believe this has been on display so far this season and feel that it will continue because we have great kids here, great parental support and a strong community to support our student athletes.”

In addition to making lasting memories through the pre-district and tournament cycles, Ott is confident that this team can etch even more lasting memories through a potential long postseason run.

“Looking through the history, we have our sights on bringing home a district championship, the first one since the 2019-2020 season,” Ott said. “We wil

l be a contender in the playoffs and look to make a strong state run while advancing multiple rounds.”

Lady Roos looking for strong culture

The Lady Roos, who are now led by Caleb King, are ready to establish a strong culture under the leadership of the upperclassmen in an effort to provide the jolt needed for the program to take the next step.

“I’m most looking forward to our returning seniors and leaders,” King said. “They have brought an energy and excitement to what we are doing to this year. They want to have a great season Laand re-energize the program, so we can reach new levels we haven’t been to before.”

Led by star senior guard Landrie Polk, who reached her 1,000-point milestone in her junior year, the Lady Roos showcase plenty of talent and versatility in age and skill throughout the roster,and King expects these pieces to mesh well together.

“We have five returning seniors that have experience at the varsity level,” King said. “Landrie Polk and Kennedy Jarrett are two leading scorers that are returning. They can play off the bounce and shoot the ball well, and they are playmakers that help the entire team play better."

Kodi Martin, a junior, and Charli Clark, a senior, are two returning forwards that can shoot and spread the floor. They can also operate around the basket to give us a

balanced attack. Kelsey Henderson, a senior, also returns to play wing and will lead our defense with intensity and effort.

"We have a strong core group of players that are excited to get after it this year.”

King said the team’s goals include a postseason trip and a 20-win season, which has not been done in some time. 

Other than that, King aims to see his players grow and improve each day while giving Lady Roo fans plenty to cheer about.

“We hope that when people come to watch us this year they see an intense and exciting brand of basketball,” King said. “We will be flying around working incredibly hard on both ends of the floor with enthusiasm and joy in playing basketball.”

Lady Eagles seeking more success

The Trinity Christian Academy Lady Eagles basketball team is in its second year under the direction of head coach Garrett Hilton, who last guided a star-studded Peaster girls squad to prominence for several years. The Lady Eagles fared well against plenty of quality competition in 2023 and will aim to surpass their successes in 2024 with a younger squad.

“Coming into this season, I believe one of our biggest strengths is our youth,” Hilton said. “Youth can certainly be a weakness but we are approaching from an angle that we are molding them into our system and starting from the ground up with some of them. We are trying to grow them with toughness and to be fearless.”

The Lady Eagles will have plenty of talent up front and hope to cultivate their younger players around their strong interior presence. Emily Ickert, an all-state selection last year, should give Lady Eagle fans plenty to cheer about, according to Hilton.

“Emily Ickert is certainly a player to watch,” Hilton said. “She is already a two-time all-state player as a junior and, in a lot of our games, she will be the best player on the floor. She is an unbelievable shooter and has been working on attacking the basket, so she is tough to guard. Another player to watch is senior post Ella Cockrum. She is becoming a presence inside and we are looking for her to take a big step this year.”

TCA notched a 60-57 win over eventual state champion Lake Country Christian a season ago along with victories over Pantego Christian, Olvilla Christian and Dallas Christian, along with wins over public schools Frost and Lake Worth. In order to build off that momentum, Hilton is pushing for the girls to strengthen an already high work ethic each day.

“We try to establish a culture of tough and hard work here at TCA,” Hilton said. “We preach that it isn't always fun in practice but it is necessary for us to have success in the game. We also want to pride ourselves on playing good, solid half court defense. The kids we have this year are learning but are bought in and getting better everyday.”

Taking the next step into the postseason will be a top priority for TCA, and the caliber of competition in their district simultaneously present a formidable challenge and a prime opportunity to grow and improve throughout the season.

“Our main goal is to make the playoffs this year,” Hilton said. “We have three of the

top teams in the state in our district, but I feel like if we keep developing then we can achieve this goal. Our kids are all in for this and willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. As a coach, that is all you can ask for.”