GENTRY — Tim Rippy got a good look last week at just how far Gentry has come this season. The Lady Pioneers coach hopes that look is also a possible glance into the future, as well.
Trailing 31-26 after three quarters to Huntsville on Jan. 12, the Lady Pioneers went on a late 11-0 run and escaped with a 39-37 victory. The next night, Gentry fell behind 16-2 to an undefeated Prairie Grove team that appeared on the verge of running away with the game.
Lady Pioneers junior Terra Jones, who was part of a Gentry squad that struggled through an 11-14 season last year, has no doubt what last year’s team would have done.
“We would have given up,” Jones said.
Instead, the Lady Pioneers rallied in the second half to twice cut the Prairie Grove lead to seven. Gentry eventually did lose the game, but Rippy came away feeling good about the team’s toughness, an attitude that has led to a 13-3 start and a 3-1 mark in the 4A-1 Conference.
“Last year, I felt like in those situations (against Prairie Grove) we continued to play hard, but we didn’t have the maturity to actually fight back,” Rippy said. “Where we’ve grown up a lot is we take a lot better shots. We know who to get the ball to in certain situations, especially when we need to score.
“The girls have matured and have experience. We have worked hard on situations like that in the summer, and it’s paid off so far.”
Helping to lead Gentry’s resurgence has been a healthy Jones, who played much of last season with torn knee cartilage. Then a sophomore, Jones struggled with her mobility due to the injury, though she still averaged nine points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
“Her quickness just wasn’t there after the injury,” Rippy said.
Playing with the injury was difficult for Jones, but watching her teammates from the sidelines this summer during a 5-month rehabilitation was even tougher. Jones’ teammates made the time easier, however. They explained what the team was working on as she watched from the sidelines.
Rippy, now in his third season at Gentry, first saw Jones play as a freshman. He knew how difficult last season was for her. But Rippy also remembers how excited he was this season when Jones had an outstanding practice about 4 weeks after returning from the injury. Jones was back and healthy, and he knew it then.
“That was pretty motivating, because I knew shecould be a real strong weapon for us that we didn’t see at the end of last year,” Rippy said.
Rippy’s early assessment of Jones’ health has appeared correct. The junior is averaging 12.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season for the Lady Pioneers.
“With her, and our whole group, there’s an unspoken confidence there this season,” Rippy said. “They believe in each other, and you can see it in their faces. They go into every game expecting to win, and that’s something we haven’t had here in a while.”
It’s a confidence that has grown as the season has progressed.
“I get more excited with every win,” Jones said. “Even in the games we lose, I know we put up a fight.Every game we get better.
Gentry reached the regional tournament two years ago in Rippy’s first season, but the Lady Pioneers fell short in a season-ending loss to Pea Ridge last season at the district tournament. Rippy said he hoped this season’s early success translates down the road.
“I’m confident in them,” Rippy said. “I’m still anxious to see how we handle the big atmospheres at the end of the year. But if we continue to improve, and in certain areas we seem to be doing that each game, I like our chances.”
Sports, Pages 7 on 01/27/2010