CEMENT BULLDOGS

BOYS

Coach: Charles Hefner

2023-24 Record: 1-23

First-year coach Charles Hefner looks to turn around a program that struggled to 23 losses last year. “We aren’t very experienced. We are low on numbers. We have a lot of learning to do and it’s going to take more than just one season,” Hefner said. Taylor Wynn (6-0, Sr.), Alex Russell (6-1, Sr.) and Kash Glass (6-2, Sr.) are the most experienced of the group.

GIRLS

Coach: Jennie Skimbo

2022-23 Record: 8-16

Veteran coach Jennie Skimbo will take over a promising small-school program this year and looks to build success at Cement with an experienced returning core that won eight games a year ago. “We only lost one player last year. We have the leading scorer, Taylor Malone, back. She is a senior,” Skimbo said. “The two leading rebounders are back, too.”

Jasmine Chandler (Sr.) and Paisley Gaines (So.) are the two high-volume board-grabbers which Skimbo is referring to, and it’s no secret both will be crucial to Cement’s success this year. Skimbo talked about Gaines, who established herself as one of the team’s most impressive players as only a freshman last year, at length: “She is a very good student, as well as a strong post player and could play outside too. Very good attitude and hard worker.” The returning talent doesn’t stop there. “We also have the leader in steals, Miley Turner, and a 3-point specialist in Heaven Ladymon returning,” Skimbo said. “The girls are working hard and we are optimistic about the coming season.”