The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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November 24, 2012

Two starters return on CHC girls basketball team

By Anvil Welch Globe Sports Writer

Two starters are among the five veterans on the College Heights Christian School girls basketball team this season.

But the Cougars enter the campaign with a roster of only nine players.

Said CHC coach John Blankenship: “We’re young in terms of overall experience. We don’t have much size in the post positions and, of course, not much depth.

“Our strength could be a strong inside/out game,” Blankenship said. “Plus, this team loves to play together and will be very unified.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Blankenship said. “It could take time to develop. This is a coachable group, however, and it has potential.”

The returning starters are 5-foot-4 senior point guard Kirsty Green and 5-6 junior Bri Shores.

Green and Shores averaged 11.1 and eight points, respectively, for the Cougars in 2011-12. They finished 9-17 overall and 2-7 in the Spring River Valley Conference. Green was a member of the all-SRVC second team.

Rounding out the CHC veterans are 5-5 senior Jasmine Johnson, 5-9 junior Makenzie Paden and 5-8 sophomore Afton Clevenger.

Completing the roster are 5-9 junior Brogan Ward and three freshmen in 5-7 Hannah James, 5-11 Michaela Keele and 5-5 Nevada Moenning (a transfer from Lockwood).

“Those four (coming off the bench) will help us,” Blankenship said.

Blankenship, who’s assisted by wife Leah (formerly Kent), is in his 14th season as the CHC head coach. He assisted Kristin McCarthy two years before taking the reins.

John, a graduate of CHC (1988) and Ozark Christian College, and Leah both played basketball for the Cougars.

The Cougars will open the season at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday against Purdy in the Diamond Tournament.

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