Turning up the heat... Lady Cyclones want to push defense to a new level; return to state

BY IVAN SANDERS STAR CORRESPONDENT

When a predator gets a taste of it’s victims’ blood, it just drives the predator to be more ferocious.

The same can be said for a basketball team that gets a small sampling of what its like to go to the state basketball tournament only to be sent packing after its first appearance.

Coach Lucas Andrews and his Elizabethton Lady Cyclones have worked since the end of last season in conditioning on the track, lifting weights, and pushing themselves to new limits in preparation for another run back to Murfreesboro and the state championship in 2022-23.

“We really want to build on last year the way we ended,” said Andrews about his team. “We want to keep evolving everything that we started at the first of last year and keep the pedal down. We want to be more efficient and keep the defense at the high level that we were playing with at the end of the year. That is the big keys for us.”

In earning that trip, the Lady Cyclones will be getting the best shot from each team on their schedule and especially their conference foes in the Upper Lakes Conference.

“I think in our conference there are no off nights,” Andrews said. “People are not going to show their hand during jamboree-type games. I still think every team in our league is capable of beating up on each other. Volun - teer has a bulk of their players back and they are going to be strong. Tennessee High has a lot of big time athletes there that I think once they get rolling they could shock a lot of people.

“East is still East and Coach Aubrey does a great job there. They still have Jenna Hare. I think Unicoi Co. is going to be a sleeper for some people. They were playing at a high level at some of the same camps that we were at. You have to make sure everything is ready to roll when you play each team.”

For his team to make another appearance at the state level, Andrews believes that the key to their success will lie in their defensive effort making for easy buckets at the offensive end.

“Every game that we played last year, when we were playing at a high level on defense that was the nights that our offense looked really good,” Andrews said. “Offense will always outshine the defense. We have to make sure we continue to do that to be successful.”

The 2022-2023 Elizabethton Cyclone Cheering squad includes: Xandi Crockett, Rebekah Hardin, Maely Ingram, Haley Stresemann, Lindy Simerly, Emily Little (Stormie), Bethany Wellnitz, Grace Whaley, Hope Shelby, Madison Holly, Kyleigh Elliot, Rheagan Haynes, Mallory Grindstaff, and Cayden Treadway (Tuffy).

22-23 Roster