By Anvil Welch

awelch@joplinglobe.com

Tim Spiers, boys basketball coach at Joplin High School, believes the Eagles will be markedly improved this season.

The Eagles finished 6-20 overall and 0-9 in the Ozark Conference in 2006-07.

“We’re faster. We’re bigger. I like the dedication of the players,” Spiers said Saturday. “We expect to be much improved.

“Our practices have been very competitive and intense,” Spiers said. “We have 16 kids trying to find varsity minutes. I usually play eight or nine kids in a game. So that makes for a competitive time.

“And, win or lose, it’s time to play that first game,” Spiers said.

The Eagles debut at 6 p.m. on Tuesday against Neosho in the 61st Carthage Tournament. Joplin is seeded second.

Joplin returns four seniors with starting experience in 5-foot-9 Ja’Von Hackett, 6-1 Matt Harrison, 6-5 Harrison Menke and 6-2 Scott Williams.

For Tuesday’s opener, Spiers said, 5-9 senior Logan Taylor will join those players in the starting lineup.

“The second game out, who knows?” Spiers said.

Taylor missed last season because of an injury after picking up varsity experience as a sophomore, Spiers said.

Scoring averages from last season include 4.5 for Hackett, 3 apiece for Harrison and Williams and 2.5 for Menke. Harrison and Menke combined for nearly eight rebounds and Hackett added two assists.

There are three more lettermen from last season in 6-1 senior Ja’Cobe Britt, 5-8 senior Jordan Hudspeth and 5-8 junior Sam Nguyen.

There’s one more senior on the roster in 5-5 Jeremy Alexander.