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WILDCAT BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW The 2007-2008 Whitehouse boys basketball season opens its season Nov. 13 on the road against class AAAAA Irving MacArthur at 7 p.m. The Wildcats schedule this year has a 5-A flair to it as Whitehouse hosts Longview on Nov. 20, followed by a matched game with Dallas Skyline at UTTyler on Nov. 23. This year's team hopes to build on last years' 31-3 overall record, as well as its perfect 14- 0 District 12-AAAA mark as four starters return, along with a host of talented newcomers. Whitehouse Head Coach Wally Dawkins enters his 19th season at the helm for the Cats, sporting a career won-loss record of 530-232. Dawkins is optimistic about this year's team's chances to be in contention for a state title on the AAAA level. And well he should be with the assortment of talent on hand. Dawkins welcomes back 6'6 Cade Clark for starters. Clark was the MVP of District 12- AAAA last season, first team All- East Texas, first team All-Region, and is ranked as on of the states; Top 50 players by Texas Preps Magazine. To go along with Clark, 6'5 guard Kyle Ford returns for his senior campaign, having poured in 81 three-pointers to lead East Texas shooters last year. Ford, a first team All- District choice a year ago, committed earlier in the fall to NCAA Division 1 school Centenary, but has since changed his mind and will make his decision on a college choice in the spring. Point guard Mitch Marquis, the team's catalyst, returns as a two-year starter in his junior season. Marquis averaged 10 points per contest last season and was one of the state's leading assist men, averaging over seven per game. Marquis is already receiving offers from Division 1 schools such as Morehead State (Kentucky) and Louisiana-Monroe, and is the key to the Cats' "big men" getting the ball. Kody Molloy, a 6'7 senior post, rounds out the returning starters and will again contribute with rebounding and scoring around the basket. Molloy has worked hard in the weight room over the summer, getting stronger and improving his vertical jump. If that weren't enough to get the coach excited, add a muchimproved 6'3 Tanner Fedell and tenacious 5'11 combo guard in Blake Anglin, and Whitehouse's roster has six returning lettermen from last year's area championship squad. But hold the phone. Enter 6'8 Jacob Holmen, who transferred to WHS this past summer from Lindale, and now the Wildcats have a big man who can compete physically on a state-wide basis with anyone. Holmen was the Tyler Morning-Telegraph's "Newcomer of the Year" a season ago and will make an impact immediately, according to Dawkins The coach is counting big on those eight players, along with Seth Cashion up from last year's 26-2 JV squad, transfers Bart Henderson from Lee and Jerone Reddick from Arp to help the Cats make a run at a state title. "This is by far the best group of athletes we have had in my 21 years in Whitehouse," said Dawkins. "If we stay healthy, get a few breaks, we will compete for it all." And that is not just Dawkins' opinion. Texas Preps Basketball Magazine has the Cats at #5 in class AAAA, while the TABC poll picks Whitehouse 17th. "I think our fans will recognize that this group can play with anyone at any level. We are certainly not there yet, but by Januar y and Februar y we should be peaking," said Dawkins. Whitehouse also hosts Arp on Nov. 27, John Tyler on Dec. 4, and Sulphur Springs on Dec. 11 before starting District 12- AAAA competition at home vs. Kilgore on Dec. 18, as part of an 11-game home schedule.
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