I caught up with Coach Holly Pettit of the Cameron Dragons 2021-22 state champion basketball team to get the scoop on how the season is going so far. On the season they are 5-3 with those loses coming to some very good teams, Linsly, Williamstown, and Union Local.
We spoke on the Union Local game early in our conversation. They are one of the top teams in the Valley and were a state semifinalist last year in Ohio with many starters and role players returning. Pettit said how playing UL this summer helped her devise a game plan. They would put Ashlynn VanTassell on Reagan Vinskovich and let them battle it out. Vinskovich is a recent West Liberty commit. As per the plan they basically cancelled each other out.
Next was to take care of OU volleyball commit Torre Kildow. Pettit thought that sophomore Maci Neely would be up to the task of defending her on the outside. Having seen Neely play numerous times myself and calling her one of the fastest players to the ball I’ve seen, I knew she’d do well defending her. This was successful up until Union Local started posting Kildow up, Neely giving up more than a few inches of height to her, fought, but Pettit had to switch up her game plan to match UL.
Cameron was able to fight hard throughout the game but ended up on the wrong end of the 54-47 score, even with a key contributor being out. Being the competitor that she is, Pettit never likes to lose, but when it’s by 7 points to a top team in Ohio, she’ll take it.
Later in the season they will take on Morgantown and Parkersburg South, two top teams in AAAA in West Virginia. I asked Pettit how games against these bigger and great programs in West Virginia and Ohio would help her team. She said seeing the size and speed that these teams have will help prepare them for a long tournament run. But, not only that, it will make them better basketball players overall. It shows weaknesses that the team may have that does not come out against lesser skilled opponents.
One game that Pettit did mention was the Gilmer game last year and how they were beat in that game, but she wanted another shot against them knowing they would be better by playing them already. If you’re not aware of the outcome, they beat Gilmer in the state title game last year, her strategy paid off. With such a small roster, I next asked about how she structures her practices
My first question knowing Holly and her background of being a great high school and college player, was does she suit up and practice with the girls? She said at times yes, she gets in there and shows them different techniques on defense and moves on offense. She said, “it’s easier at times to show them instead of explaining to them.” I asked if she ever practiced against the boys’ teams to get some bigger, more physical competition, they haven’t this year but have in the past used this strategy and may look at it later in the season.
With Ashlynn VanTassell being such a hard match up for anyone on the team, Pettit has to explore different ways to get her competitive looks. Even bringing in a former men’s college player during workouts. Speaking of VanTassell, she has had a great career so far, but is not the only big-time player Cameron has on their roster. VanTassell has surpassed the 1,000-point plateau already as a Junior and is on her way to 1,000 rebounds as well. She is a matchup nightmare for any team they face on the offensive and defensive ends. But, with all players returning from a state champion team, you have to have more than just her.
Leading at the point guard position is fellow Junior Kenzie Clutter, she has a great shooting touch from the outside, but her passing is what separates her. Pettit said, “she is so calm on the floor, she sees everything out there on the floor, she’s always thinking.” Clutter even had an assist this year diving for a ball out of bounds, making a one-handed pass to a player for a layup, but it was like she had it planned even before it happened.
Sophomore Maci Neely is just another good player for Cameron. I watched her all through middle school as I coached against her. The first time I saw her play, I said she is one of the fastest players to the ball I’ve seen. She is known known for her game winning 3 as a freshman in the state title game, but I’ll always know her for her speed on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
I asked Pettit about the twins that played against my teams as well. She said yeah, Ashley and Emilee Dobbs, she couldn’t say enough about these two. Ashley with her rebounding and important role on offense, being aware of the Clutter passes coming from everywhere and completing the layups under the basket. And Emiee for her improved 3-point shooting, a floater she developed this summer, and ball handling to help Clutter out against trapping teams. Both are Juniors and will be back again next year.
Pettit told me about her two seniors as well. Gracie Carter is adding minutes as the season goes on, Pettit mentioned her good shot and toughness, “she’s a hard-nosed kid, that you always need on a team.” Ashlee Neehouse is Cameron’s other senior, who Pettit described as a 3 and D player that have become popular in the NBA. With all these players who return talent and experience, I wondered how Pettit keeps them motivated.
Pettit mentioned that with all kids and teams, some kids are self-motivated, and others need help from coaches and teammates throughout the summer workouts and throughout the season. One thing Pettit did was to toughen the schedule up quite a bit to give the team challenges during the season to keep them focused on getting better and competing with the best.
They also do some team bonding activities. She is taking the team to a Pitt vs North Alabama game. You may be asking why a Pitt game, well there’s a story. The head coach at North Alabama, Missy Tiber (Bellaire), was a coach of Holly’s at West Liberty and the associate head coach, Adrianne Harlow, was a teammate of hers at West Liberty. So, they’ll get to catch up some before the game. Pettit also has a Christmas party for the team with a gingerbread house building competition. She said the competition gets pretty heated. These competitions and team building trips help them meet their goals.
The first goal each year as Pettit stated is to make it to the OVAC tournament, to add to it this year is to get into one of the top 2 spots to get a home game (seeing Cameron only has 5 this year). A repeat championship has been discussed, but Pettit said she told them, “You’re state champions, but you’re not state champions this year, this is a new year and a new team.”
The next goal is to get to Charleston and take it from there. Pettit has smaller game to game goals each game to help them focus on tasks that need taken care of on a more immediate basis. I had some final questions about interest at the youth level and crowd support.
Pettit’s goal was to get 30 kids at her camp this summer, she said 28 attended. The interest from the title is carrying over to the youth level. They are able to support 3 teams at the middle school level this year, which will help depth at the high school team in the future. As Holly and I talked about, Cameron comes out to support their teams no matter what.
With being a state title team, more people want to be a part of the team. They want to say they were part of it or saw the team play in person. But you have to come out to watch them they only have 4 home games left, January 12th vs Clay Battelle, January 26th vs Tyler, February 6th vs Valley, and February 13th vs Oak Glen. Come out to support the Dragons at a great home atmosphere.
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