Hot Springs returns most of a roster that made a fourth consecutive run to the Class 5A state semifinals last season, but much of the return road has changed since the close of the 2017-18 season.
The Trojans were 9-9 after the 8th annual Guaranty Bank Paris Holiday Invitational during the Christmas break a year ago in Texas. They won 15 of their final 18 games to finish 24-12 and win the 5A district tournament on their home court before falling, 51-37, to eventual state champion Little Rock Parkview.
Head coach Rodney Echols accepted the school district's athletic director position after the season and Antoni Lasker was named the team's new head coach. Louisiana Tech sophomore Exavian Christon, the leading scorer on Hot Springs' 2016 semifinal team, said he was surprised to hear the news.
"He actually called me and broke the news to me," Christon said. "I said, 'Coach, you must be getting old or something. What's up? You losing or getting fired or something? What's going on?'
"He said, 'No, I'm just taking another position and leaving it to coach (Lasker). I think he's got it now.' It was surprising to me, but I am happy for him that he did get that position."
Hot Springs has been able to practice with its full roster since the football team's season ended on Nov. 2 with a 35-32 loss to rival Lakeside. The Trojans participated in a jamboree in Jacksonville on Nov. 3.
"I was kind of like a kid on Christmas Eve," Lasker said. "I couldn't sleep. My wife was wondering what was going on with me. I'm just excited. I am very excited to get these young men on the floor so they can display the hard work they have done this offseason."
The 2017 run to the semis was the least expected of the four. The previous teams included players such as Christon and Abilene Christian junior Trey Lenox, who is averaging 14 minutes per game in the Wildcats' first two games of the season. Former Hot Springs forward Paris Harris is a sophomore at Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana after playing last season at Itawamba Community College in Mississippi.
"I don't think much will change," Christon said. "The culture has been set. Coach Lasker is a guy that has fallen in love with the culture."
Payton Hayes, Curtis Frierson and Isaiah Calhoun were the only seniors on last year's team. The Trojans were led by now junior Santiair Thomas (6-4) with 14 points and seven rebounds per game. Thomas was selected as a member of The Sentinel-Record's All-Garland County First Team.
Sophomore J.J. Walker (5-9) was selected for the All-Garland County Third Team with 11 points and six assists per game as a freshman. Eddie Miles (6-1) was named to the All-Defense Team as a junior. Miles and Thomas featured for the Trojans on the football team as top players in the team's secondary.
Christon said he was not surprised like outside observers were to see Hot Springs return to the final four.
"I am in a gym with them all of the time," Christon said. "I see them working. I see how much they want to be good. A lot of people really expected for us to lose so much from my senior year.
"They expected those guys not to be where we were or not to be as good as we were, but I was not surprised at all because I am with them all of the time and I see how hard they work. For them to actually get back to the semis that young, it is special. If they keep it up, they will be really special."
Thomas, Walker and Miles are expected to feature again for this year's team. Lasker said junior Kaleb Hughley (6-4) is also likely to start. Senior Ramello Cason (6-3) will split time inside with Jabari West (6-8), the only freshman on this year's roster.
Christon said he has enjoyed the transition from Hot Springs to Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La., as the Bulldogs employ a similar up-tempo style with pressure defense he played at Hot Springs.
"Myself and coach Echols believe in a lot of the same principals," Lasker said. "That was one of the good things. I did not really have to change much because a lot of what he did, I believe in as well.
"I love to get up and down, fast-paced, up-tempo and try to speed up our opponents. That is the brand of basketball that you are going to continue to see at Hot Springs."
This year's seniors include Aaron Williams, Jordan Baker, Kentrell Lomax, Corbin Presfield and David Dennis. Juniors on the roster include Draylen Sledge, Deante Sanders, Latrell Ellis, Trent Gordon, Barry Hicks, Rickey James and Trent Clayton. The sophomore are Caleb Campbell, Adrian Conway, Denim Counts and Don Harris.
Hot Springs will begin the season on Nov. 27 with road games at Hope. The Trojans' first home games are scheduled for Nov. 30 against Malvern.
Sports on 11/14/2018