Unlike last off-season, Van Buren coach Brent Reeves has had the luxury of conducting off-season practices for his team.

Reeves was hired right before the Lady Pointers’ 2016 season opener. He ended up guiding Van Buren to an appearance in the 7A quarterfinals.

“When I first took over, I really didn’t know the kids, and it was really more toward the end of the season and more during off-season that I really got to know the kids and they got to know me as well,” Reeves said. “I think that was good.”

The Lady Pointers lost three seniors from last season’s team. Reeves said one of the main goals this off-season was to establish team chemistry.

“I think our biggest priority is getting all our girls together to play as one team. ... I thought in the spring, when we got almost all of them together because some of them were playing in other sports, but when we got the whole team together, I felt like they were really starting to click,” he said.

Van Buren opens the 2017 season on Aug. 22 at Southside.