The unfortunate injuries to seniors last season actually benefitted this year’s Cleveland Lady Raider hoop squad as they prepare to open the new campaign against one of the most successful girls’ programs in the state.
“We had a lot of injuries last year with only one of our four seniors (All-District and All-Region performer Emma Smith) playing in every game, so the girls we have back have a lot of experience,” stated Bianca Hensley, who has led the Lady Raiders to back-to-back 24-win seasons in her first two years in town.
Current Tennessee Lady Vol Lauren Hurst played in just 13 of the team’s 34 games last season, while guard Tamiah Tanner, now playing for Chattanooga State, also missed the majority of the campaign due to an injury suffered in the season opener.
“We have a good core back, plus were are getting Emily Patterson back (who missed the majority of last season after a skiing accident during Thanksgiving break). She will help us out underneath quite a bit,” stated Coach Hensley of the 5-foot-11 junior post.
While picked by the fellow coaches and media to battle archrival Bradley Central for the top spot in the District 5-4A race, the Lady Raiders will open the new season against 12-time state champion Shelbyville, Tuesday evening at “Raider Arena.”
As the girls are looking to put up their seventh straight 20-plus win record, the Cleveland boys are looking to take the first step in returning the program to its historical success after back-to-back sub .500 seasons.
New head coach Howard Pride didn’t take over the team until late June, but is optimistic about what he’s seen.
“We have a lot of hungry young men that want to play and win,” stated the former East Hamilton mentor. “We are starting with a blank slate and everybody is working hard to earn playing minutes.
“We have no preconceived expectations. They are learning a new system and we feel comfortable and confident in with what we’ve seen so far.”
The Blue Raiders will also open with Shelbyville Tuesday before traveling to Chattanooga Central Friday and hosting East Ridge Saturday evening.
The Lady Raiders will head to Chattanooga Friday evening as well to square off with Girls Preparatory School.
LADY RAIDERS
After taking Cleveland to the “Glass House” on a Final Four run in her first season in charge, Coach Hensley’s crew came up just short last March, falling in overtime at Cookeville in the TSSAA Sectionals.
With the vast majority of the team returning, expectations are high for a return to Murfreesboro.
“We are still a young team, with only two seniors, but we are experienced, with the majority of these girls playing a lot the last two seasons,” related Coach Hensley, a member of the 2023 SEC Class of Women’s Legends.
“We feel really confident with the girls we have coming back, plus we’ve got some exciting freshmen joining us as well that will get a lot of minutes coming off the bench for us, that should help us make good strides in the postseason.”
Entering their third year as fulltime starters, are team captains junior Laney Copeland and senior Ilianis Rodriguez will once again lead the squad.
The 2024-25 District 5-4A Player of the Year, Copeland is coming off a campaign that saw her average 12.6 points (415 total), while pulling down 80 rebounds, copping 63 steals and dishing out 42 assists.
Her freshman season she had netted 5.1 points, cleared 44 caroms, dished 42 helps and snatched 42 thefts. In 67 varsity games, the speedy 5-foot-6 guard has only been whistled for 84 fouls.
“She was a big part of us making the state tournament two years ago and was voted by the coaches as the District Player of the Year, last season,” related Coach Hensley. “Outside of Lauren (Hurst), she’s our returning leading scorer.
“She’s one of the best shooters in this area and is becoming more vocal with her leadership on the floor. We’ll get the ball to her coming off screens and she’s a really good knock down shooter.”
Last season, Copeland led the team with 77 3-pointers, hitting at a 36% rate.
Named to the 2024 All-State Tournament Team, Rodriguez is a strong floor general, having played in 74 games, including 65 starts, in her previous three campaigns.
“She’s a ‘dog.’ She’s a really good defender and she’s a leader,” declared Coach Hensley. “When she’s at her best, we have a really good team.
“She had a really good summer and is showing a lot of leadership. She’s really a ‘pest’ on the defensive end and her offense if really coming around, as well.”
The last two seasons the 5-foot-5 point guard has 357 points, with 28 3-pointers and a 6.6 scoring average last year. She has hustled for 191 rebounds, dished out 202 assists and copped 165 thefts, while earning All-District and All-Region honors in each of the last two campaigns.
Also voted as captain by her teammates, junior Izzy Smith has bounced back from a last season shoulder injury that required surgery and is ready to go for her junior campaign.
“She reminds me of Dennis Rodman. She’s not always going to be big scorer, but she does a lot of other things that show up in the boxscore,” the Lady Raider mentor remarked.
“She does the small things that doesn’t always get noticed to make the team successful. She gets us extra possessions off the offensive glass and with her hustle.”
Mainly coming off the bench to score just 66 points in 29 games last season, the youngest for four very talented athletic siblings of Lee University men’s hoop coach Bubba and wife Courtney Smith fought for 70 rebounds, handed out 32 “dimes” and swiped 31 steals, plus the 5-foot-4 guard blocked three shots.
Hoping to released for full activity as the season begins, Patterson will be a big help in the paint for the Lady Raiders.
Scoring 48 points and cleaning the glass for 48 rebounds in just a half dozen games before her skiing accident, the junior was a presence in the paint. She also copped a dozen thefts and blocked a pair of shots.
Patterson played in 27 games her freshman campaign, netting 80 points and pulling down 78 caroms in limited playing time.
“She’s one of the best women you’ll ever be around,” proclaimed Coach Hensley. “She has a very positive outlook on life. She’s doing everything to get back and will be retested on Nov. 17 (Monday), the day before our first game.
“She’s going to be a vital piece to our puzzle this year as she’s a really good rebounder and has kind of found her outside shot, as well. She’s a really good leader for us.”
Picking up her first NCAA DI offer from UT-Chattanooga over the summer, sophomore Ariyah Huffman made an impressive prep debut last year.
Earning All-District and All-Region honors, the 5-foot-9 combo player averaged 10.8 points (314) and 3.8 rebounds (109) an outing, draining 36 3-s, plus she dished out 52 assists, swiped 48 thefts and used her leaping ability to “swat” a dozen shots in 29 games last season.
“She has a lot of potential. She’s a part of that Davis family that has produced so many great athletes around here,” commented Coach Hensley. “You can tell she really wants it and has worked really hard on her defense.
“We know what she can do offensively. She scored 31 points in a game as a freshman last year. She’s always in the gym. She wants to get better in her craft.
“She has a chance to be one of the best scorers in Cleveland history. We’re looking for someone to challenge Holly’s record,” the coach joked of Lady Raider assistant coach Holly (Rogers) Stroud lofty program mark.
Huffman also had an outstanding fall volleyball season, helping the Lady Raiders to a district and region championship and a TSSAA Sectional match.
Also stepping into key roles this winter is sophomores Jada Davis and Addy Gravelle.
“Both of them started some last year and gave us really good sparks off the bench when we needed it. They got a lot of valuable experience in some big games for us last year,” related the Cleveland mentor.
“Jada is a spark plug on defense and gives us energy. She gets us hyped up when she comes onto the floor. She’s always ready to go with we call her name.
“We are seeing her be more assertive offensively and trying to take the ball to the hole more to go with her ability as an outside shooter.”
Getting into 32 games last season, Davis connected on 14 shots from long distance oh her way to 67 points, 55 rebounds, 19 steals and 16 assists.
At 6-foot, Gravelle helped out underneath, netting 100 points and clearing 116 caroms in 33 outings, plus she blocked 19 shots, snatched 21 steals and handed out 18 “dimes.”
“She can go in or go out. She’s actually a really good shooter so this summer we allowed her to step out as a stretch 4 some,” Coach Hensley remarked. “She’s worked on her ball handling and wants to be more of a guard like presence, looking forward toward the college game.
“She stays in the type kid. We are looking not only for her to be a rebounder, but also a scorer for us this year. She’s always in the gym and is a workhorse.”
Among the newcomers, freshmen Claire Lambert, Kenley Pryor and Avery Beavers are expected to contribute right away.
“Claire is a point guard with a very high basketball IQ and motor,” the coach assessed. “She can come in and facilitate whenever Ilianis goes out and give us really good minutes.”
“Kenley is maybe 5-foot tall and was actually one of our starters this summer when we had some minor injuries come up,” explained Coach Hensley. “She’s a pest on the defensive end and she is know for her ability to shoot the ball. Coming off a screen she has really nice form and gets her feet she and can knock down the 3.”
“Avery is probably 5-8 and will play the 3-4 for us. She kind of reminds me of Izzy, but she’s more of an offensvie threat. She can handle the ball and shoots really well.”
Along with the challenges of high hopes for the new hardwood season, Coach Hensley and her assistant coach husband, Martin, are expecting their first natural born child after having adopted a 10-year-old boy just last year.
“Baby Milly will have 16 big sisters (the Lady Raider players) and a big brother (Terrance, a fourth-grader at Cherokee Creek Elementary) that are excited about her coming around Christmas,” the coach related.
“We’ve been getting tremendous support from the players and their families, as well as the administration here at Cleveland.
“When the time comes Holly (Stroud) will take over running the team and getting them ready for and playing the games. Coach (Howard) Pride is also going to help out during the games for us as well,” she explained. “I hope to be back with the team when we start back in January.”
RAIDERS
Stepping into a complete rebuilding situation, Coach Pride explained, “All five starters transitioned away from the program, including three that are playing on the collegiate level.”
Bringing in coaching Alabama coaching experience at Decatur — which finished as the Class 6A runner-up in his final season — Westminster Christian, Alma Bryant and four years at Mae Jemison, in Huntsville, along with his one season at East Ham, he also served as head coach of Stewarts Creek, working alongside of Coach Hensley.
This past season Pride led the Hurricanes to a 19-7 mark and a District 6-4A runner-up finish to Bradley, as well as advancing to the Region 3 semifinals before falling to Walker Valley.
Including Baraka Ndegwa, who does have starting experience along with plenty of playing time the last couple of campaigns, the Cleveland roster includes eight seniors, four juniors and a sophomore.
“We’re playing in a very tough district, but we’ve been working hard to get faster and stronger,” related Coach Pride, who has kept veteran assistant coaches Chuck Condo (who has been at CHS since 1969), Dawn Barger and Darnell Mee, who played in the NBA, as well as many professional seasons in Australia.
In 25 games last season, Ndegwa averaged 6.2 points, netting 156 markers, including 32 3-pointers, while handing out 70 assists, grabbing 68 rebounds, dishing out 49 assists and blocking a half dozen shots.
“He’s a tremendous leader for us, who competes hard and shoots the ball really well,” commented Coach Pride of the 5-foot-9 guard. “He’s also as good a person off the court as well as on it. He’s ‘Blue Raider’ through and through.”
Stepping into a starting role, 6-foot-5 junior Gabe Krepps is expected to be a force inside.
Playing in 20 games last year, he netted 75 points, cleared 36 caroms and “swatted” a half dozen shots.
“Gabe is going to have his way with people,” the coach assessed. “He’s in great shape and has gotten much stronger.
“He’s learning to play within himself and is going to surprise a lot of people.”
Senior shooting guard Brayden Beavers will also play a key role this season.
“He’s a dynamic player with the ball. He will help us once he gets a better feel for our offense,” commented Coach Pride.
The new Raider mentor also said the team has some solid role players in senior shooting guard Ben DeLoach, who “can really shoot and can get open,” plus junior power forward Malachi King, who “is a Swiss Army knife-type player that can help in a lot of ways.”
Senior guard Silas Giannasio has shown “tremendous leadership and can come in and give quality minutes night-in and night-out.”
The coach is also expecting football players sophomore Daxton Evans and seniors Tytus Matthews and Quinten Jones, plus junior Landen Pride, to develop and help out as power forwards by midseason.
Senior De Lovelace will also add some experience at the point and junior Andrew Johnson on the wing.
“We’re excited about the challenge,” related Coach Pride. “It will be tough each night out, but we’ll be prepared and play our best. We’ll control what we can control.
“After Walker Valley, we feel like the district is wide open and we’ll do our best to be in the hunt.”