Pointers riding momentum into state tourney

The Van Buren Pointers didn’t make the state tournament the past two seasons, and then they were facing a head coaching change last summer.? For Brayden Gilmore, Maury Newton, Tiyese Castleberry and Blake Gilmore, their senior season was not shaping up real well.? “It was tough, I knew we would face some battles with it,” Brayden Gilmore said. “Overall, everybody bought in the way he was doing it and what he was doing for the program.”? New head coach Brad Autry was hired to replace Austin Trembley, who left coaching to go into private business. School was already out for the summer, though, when Autry was named the successor in June, but Autry’s energy quickly made up for any late start.? “He brought in confidence to all of the guys and making us overall tougher and more competitive,” Gilmore said. “He brought a lot of energy from the very beginning so we rallied around him early. Once we clung on to him early, everybody started buying in.”? Autry’s energy helped make it a quick sell to the Pointers.? “For sure,” Gilmore said. “It makes practice every day fun. He loves the game.”? Autry knew, too, that Gilmore, the most veteran player for the Pointers, who saw a lot of playing time and even some starts late in the season as a sophomore two years ago, would be a key both on the floor and off for the Pointers.? “I’ve always said you’re typically as good as your oldest and best players,” Autry said. ’If your oldest guys are typically your best players especially at the high school level you’re going to be as good as their buy in and their commitment level to be successful. From the moment we came in, I feel like Brayden spearheaded that buy in. He’s met every challenge. He’s responded in a positive way to every obstacle I’ve put in front of him.”? Gilmore and Newton started last year as well as returning point guard Gary Phillips, now a junior.? Gilmore has truly been a steadying force all season. He averaged 15 points and seven rebounds through nonconference play, and 15 points and seven rebounds through 14 conference games.? “He’s been a consistent factor all season,” Autry said. “We have guys that have come and gone as far as production, and Brayden has given us the same thing throughout the season. It’s a great situation when you can count on him for almost a double-double every night.”? The Pointers saved their best game for last with a berth in the Class 6A state tournament riding on the line on Senior Night against Springdale.? Van Buren scored 12 straight points after giving up the first points of the game, led, 14-10, after a quarter, 28-21, at the half, and 43-30 after three quarters. ? Van Buren opened the fourth quarter with a 16-2 run and won, 59-37.? All four seniors contributed in their final home game with Newton scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, Castleberry earning a start in place of Phillips who was suffering from the flu and hitting a key 3-pointer in that 12-0 start, and Blake Gilmore scoring a bucket late that sent the crowd into a frenzy.? “It was awesome,” Brayden Gilmore said. “It’s my favorite game I’ve ever played at home. It’s probably the best overall game we’ve played as a team all year. To go out and win by that much in front of our home crowd one last time was a great feeling and a good way to go out.”? Gilmore flashed a perfect snapshot of his improvement in the second half of the game from being mostly an inside player to a player capable of playing the entire court. He had a 3-pointer to start Van Buren’s second-half scoring, he took two charges, had a slam to start an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter and scored on a driving basket to cap his night.? “I’ve worked on my ball handling and my shot, and been able to stretch it anyway from being able to go score inside to taking somebody outside and shooting the three,” Gilmore said. ?

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Van Buren High School Athletics

POINTERS RIDING MOMENTUM INTO STATE TOURNEY

LELAND BARCLAY

Times Record | 3/5/2020

PHOTO CREDIT: Van Buren High School Athletics