Article Tag: conway-bears

Catching up with … Conway Bears (B)

Posted on January 11, 2018 by -

Conway Bears off to strong start this season

CONWAY — Led by head coach Jeff Cope, the Conway boys’ basketball team is quietly putting together a strong season.

On Tuesday, the Bears won its fifth straight game and improved to 8-2 as they knocked off the Ava Bears. Although the Bears suffered one-sided losses to Strafford and Mountain Grove, Cope says the Bears have otherwise risen to the occasion against good teams and has surprised even themselves at times this season.

The Bears count wins over Forsyth, Fordland, Fair Grove and Gainesville — all teams with a winning record.

“We’ve just found a way to make things work, get some points on the board and get some stops,” Cope said.

Conway recently earned the No. 1 seed at the Spokane Tournament and will face the No. 8 seed Galena at 6 p.m. on Jan. 15. Should they win, the Bears would then face the winner between No. 4 seeded Reeds Spring and host Spokane.

“The nice thing about this group is everybody has a job to do and nobody tries to do anything more than what they are capable of,” Cope said.

The Bears have been led this season by 6’5 2018 big man Tanner Pippins who is averaging a team-high 17.3 points and eight rebounds per game this season.

“He has emerged as an offensive weapon for us this year and he has done a great job for us,” Cope said. “He virtually never comes off the floor.”

Senior guards Gunnar Berger and Cody Delcour have also been a big part of the Bears’ success this season. Both entered the season with extensive varsity experience under their belts.

“Gunnar has really stepped into the role of being a more reliable scorer where he shows up in a box score all four quarters … he has really worked hard and been disciplined and put points on the board consistently,” Cope said.

Cope says Caleb Little and Colby Vavruska have flown under the radar but have quietly put together strong seasons. Both are taking over much bigger roles after the graduation of guard Taylor Simpson.

“They’re not flashy, but they have handled the ball extremely well and besides the first game against Crane, turnovers have been the same they have been the past five years, in the 11-13 range, which is acceptable,” Cope said. “They handle the ball and they get it to the people that can do something with it.

“When their time is there to hit a shot, they have each hit a big shot for us.”

Hunter Wissbaum is averaging four points and five rebounds per game and has been an important factor for the Bears on the boards and in the paint.

“We’re not a flashy team, but they do a great job of playing with each other and for each other,” Cope said. “It is fun to watch.”

FEATURE: Olivia Dill (2018)

Posted on December 2, 2017 by -

CONWAY — One of the better players in the Summit Conference, Conway senior Olivia Dill is gearing up for a big senior season after putting together a strong junior campaign.

An athletic 5’9 forward, Dill nearly averaged a double-double last season as she averaged 12.2 points and 9.7 rebounds to lead a young Lady Bear team.

SWMOBasketball recently caught up with Dill and asked her about her senior season.

SWMO — How would you describe your game to people who haven’t seen you play?

Olivia — When I entered high school as a freshman, I had to play a lot of varsity because of our small team\lack of players. My skill was not up to par with most varsity teams at that age but it was my dad who told me that by playing hard I would be able to maintain a spot on the court. He heavily emphasized intense defense and rebounding. So in explaining my game to others I would say that it is strictly hard work throughout each game. Even now, I still focus mainly on my rebounding and defense as well as being able to score effectively. 

SWMO — Tell us about your summer experience and how you grew as a player. 

Olivia — I have played basketball year round  since I was in seventh grade. This past year I joined a new team known as Yanders Law. In doing so, I got to travel to different states and play teams from everywhere, including one from Australia. This helped me grow as a player because I was exposed to a faster, more intense style of basketball. It was not something I was particularly used to, however I felt like it helped me gain a better mentality of the game and how to use each person’s reaction to my advantage. 

SWMO —  Tell about the upcoming high school season, a little about your team and expectations.

Olivia — This year’s team is going to have a whole different look then in years past. We recently got a new coach and are very excited about what he’s brought to the table so far. Being a young team, we have young girls who are being asked to play big parts. However, they are intently listening to what our coach is teaching and already you can see it starting to transform onto the court. Once we can all fully grasp the concepts being handed to us and be able to display them accurately, it’s going to be exciting! 

SWMO —  Who is the team or player that you look forward to playing this next season the most and why?

Olivia — One of my favorite games of the season is the game against Niangua. They are located less than 10 minutes from Conway and so we are very familiar with most of the players. We also recently started a traveling trophy with them in which the winner gets to keep it until the next time we play again. So far, Conway has kept it, but it’s always exciting to see who will take it each year. 

SWMO —  Who has been the biggest influence on your basketball career and tell us why?

Olivia — This will go straight to his head but the most influential person in my basketball career would be my dad. He was the one who initially taught me how to play and has always helped me whenever I needed it. This includes coming to the school before games to rebound while I got shots up, going outside during 30 degree weather to practice with me, and evaluating game film with me. I am extremely thankful for both of my parents and their devotion in making me the player I am today. 

SWMO —  Who do you enjoy watching play basketball (professional, college, whoever) and why?  Have you been able to take anything they do well and implement it in your own game?

Olivia — I have never been someone who watches a lot of professional basketball. I do like to attend high school games though, and gain a lot of insight on the game through watching them. If I had to pick one person that I enjoy watching it would be my best friend and teammate, Maddie Archer. She has always been someone I looked up to when playing and I have always strived to be as good as a shooter as she is. 

SWMO —  What are some things in your game you are working on?

Olivia — I am working on being a more consistent outside shooter as well as enhancing my ball handling skills. In the book, I️ am considered a forward, but I️ want to be able to play all positions without obvious difficulty. I️ believe that there is always room for improvement and thus am always working on enhancing my rebounding abilities, post moves, and my overall game in general.

Catching up with … Conway Bears (B)

Posted on November 21, 2017 by -

CONWAY — Don’t be fooled by the 15-12 record the Conway boys’ basketball team put together last season. The Bears lost four games on the last possession, including a district semifinal game to eventual Class 3 Final Four team Mountain Grove.

From that team, the Bears lose big man Dylan Dampier and all-district and all-conference guard Taylor Simpson, who was a three-year starter at Conway.

“We were right on the verge of a really special season (last year), but that’s just the way things fall sometimes,” Conway head coach Jeff Cope said. “We were really happy with the way things turned out last year.”

This year, the Bears will lean heavily on senior Cody Delcour for production. A four-year varsity regular, Delcour is a standout perimeter shooter who has improved his all-around play over the years.

On Tuesday, Delcour hit five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 20 points as the Conway Bears opened the season with a big, 62-47, win over Crane, the Class 2 state runner-ups from last season.

“He is a great shooter who has been starting since he was a sophomore,” Cope said. “He brings a wealth of experience and can lead this team.”

Also returning is 6’4 senior big man Tanner Pippins, who has a soft touch around the basket and is a key defender and rebounder for the Bears. Pippins went for 15 points in the Bears’ win over Crane and frustrated the Pirates with his play in the paint.

“Tanner had a great year as a junior who is an old school post man,” Cope said. “He has a back to the basket game and he’s not going to do anything flashy, but he has the ability to score consistently. He’s also an underrated player on defense.”

Also returning is Gunnar Berger, a senior guard who who got significant playing time a year ago and will be taking on an even larger role this season.

“He started last year as a junior and played a lot,” Cope said. “He isn’t the most athletic player, but he can rally fill up the stat book. He does things that makes you want to keep him on the floor.”

In the backcourt will be guards Caleb Little, a 5’10 senior, and Colby Vavruska, a 5’10 sophomore. While both players are new to the varsity level, Cope says both have ability and will be key to the team’s success.

“I think our point guard situation will be in good hands with Little,” Cope said. “He’s waited his turn and he is ready to take on that role. I think he will do good things for us. 

“Sometimes the first year in high school can be a little tougher than people think, but (Vavruska) had a great summer for us and is doing very well in practices for us. Those two are really going to step in and get the job done for us at the point guard spot.” 

Also in the mix is 6’3 sophomore Jimmy Shockley, 6’2 senior forward Hunter Wissbaum and 6’2 junior Hayden Graves. 

Cope says putting points on the board is something that program is focused on early in the season. While the team has a lot of experienced players returning, the team will need someone to step up and replace the scoring production of Simpson a year ago and will need to get tougher at the defensive end.