Nicholas County head coach Kameron Hornsby will have slightly different landscape in Summersville as he heads into his fourth year as head coach.
“I lost the four players (due to graduation) that I originally came in coaching with. I was an assistant for a year with them and was their head coach for the last three years,” Hornsby said. “We lose some athleticism for sure. One player was my sister and the other three were her friends, so they knew how to read me and what I expected. So, that does hurt some, but we do return a lot.”
Leading the group of returners will be junior Adrienne Truman who is standout track athlete and is coming off of a strong cross-country season.
“People saw her in the box scores a lot last year. We will rely on her heavy to get the ball in the basket this year,” Hornsby said. “I am very excited for her this season. She has put in a lot of work in the off-season.”
Truman led the team in scoring last year at just under 17 points per game, along with grabbing seven rebounds and recording three steals.
“She played on a couple of different AAU circuits and played well,” Hornsby said. “She ran cross-country this year for the first time since she was in middle school. She is in really good shape and looking pretty good.”
Senior Alexis O’Dell gave the Grizzlies another double-digit threat a year ago pouring in 10 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Hornsby is looking for even more production this season.
“Alexis O’Dell has hit the gym and the weights and has really gotten stronger,” Hornsby said. “We were sitting at the state tournament last year watching Wayne and Sissonville play when she looked at me and said we are going to playing down here next year. I am excited about her determination.”
With the loss of some key leaders from last year, junior Olivia Stone has stepped in to fill the gap for Nicholas County.
“She has stepped up big time in the leadership role. There are a lot of times that coaches can say exactly what they want done in practice and it doesn’t happen,” Hornsby explained. “It really helps to have a player that kids look to. She speaks their language when mine is not speaking to them. Olivia has been a big help and I look forward to her continued leadership throughout the year.”
After struggling the bigger portion of the season with her shooting, Stone found the range late in the season.
“Hopefully she can score some points like she did at the end of last season,” Hornsby said. “I felt like Olivia was in a slump most of last year. She came out of that shooting funk against Summers County late in the year and was a big factor in the postseason.”
Seniors Ruthie Lott, Kaitlyn McKinney and Gracie Trentham should also see minutes and provide more veteran leadership for the Grizzlies.
“Gracie didn’t play for me last year, but she is back and we are excited for her. She does anything that is asked of her and gives me 100 percent all the time,” Hornsby said. “She will be a big help. She has potential to start, but she can also give Adrienne and Olivia a chance to get a few minutes rest on the bench.”
The schedule for Nicholas County will be challenging, but Hornsby is hoping once the postseason rolls around his team will be ready to go.
“Our section and region is no cupcake by any means. The state tournament is obviously the goal, but our main goal right now is to host a sectional game,” Hornsby said. “If we can host a game we feel like we can be in the driver’s seat to make some noise in the postseason.”
