By Jay Neal
sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com
New head coach Brent Kelley welcomed a large group of returnees in addition to a few new faces at the JHS gymnasium Monday afternoon as the Indian basketball teams went through their first drills of the fall.
Kelley served as the varsity assistant coach last year and was promoted to head coach upon former head coach and mentor Phil Hale’s departure. Hale is now the head girls’ coach at Sulphur Springs High School.
Kelley has a pretty full cupboard from which to work as four standouts off last year’s 16-12, 8-2 in District 14-4A (league runner-up and area finalist) return.
Senior point guard Duke Hamilton (10.1 ppg, 7.3 apg) is back as the court general of the Indians this year. Senior forward Justin Davis also returns and figures to be a key player once again. Hamilton was an honorable mention All-East Texas selection last year as well.
Davis averaged eight points a night and accounted for nearly five rebounds a contest.
Other returnees of impact are juniors Ryan Black and Tradarrean Moreland. Black averaged nearly 14 points a game last year while Moreland contributed 10 points and had eight boards a night a year ago.
The Indians open the 2009-10 regular season Friday at 7 p.m. by hosting Longview (varsity only).
Jacksonville will be playing in three tournaments this year as well.
The Indians will travel to Longview for the Dr Pepper Tournament, Dec. 10-12, then play in the Tatum tournament a week later.
Finally, on Dec. 28-30, the Tribe will trek to Tyler for the TJC Wagstaff Classic.
District 14-4A play begins on Jan. 12, 2010, when the Indians go to Whitehouse, the defending district champions.
On Jan. 15, the Indians will return to the JHS gymnasium to host Nacogdoches in the first home district affair of the season.
Assisting Kelley this year will be coach Pat House.
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