Girls' team could be more offensive minded under Simmons

Jordan Simmons looks to bring the same kind of success to the Unicoi County girls program that he had with the boys. Simmons led the Unicoi County boys back to the state tournament in 2023, the first time in 37 years. It's been 34 years since the Lady Devils have made it to Murfreesboro. Before those ambitious goals, the girls will have to get through a gauntlet of talented local teams. But, the Lady Devils have a good starting point in the backcourt with guards Abigail Vidrio and Brooklynn Sparks. "Abigail will be at the point. She started the last two years and does a really good job," Simmons said. "Brooklynn Sparks was the leading scorer last year. She's just a sophomore so we're really excited about her future." Beyond Vidrio, the Lady Devils have a good amount of senior leadership. Laney Rogers is a defensive specialist, a blue-collar player, who takes on the job of guarding the other teams' best players. Kaley Toney, a senior wing, shoots the ball really well. Reagan Wilson is a strong player inside for a post presence and Danika Hendricks provides another option at the wing. Emma Grace Anders, another sophomore, has a lot of length. Her skills are coming around as the focus has been put on getting her stronger. Other sophomores who stood out in the summer were wing Carly Baxter and guard Destiny Effler. Deanna Gill is a freshman who gives the Lady Devils a spark off the bench and instant offense. Sophomores Arianna Keplinger and Anna Broyles, along with freshmen Eden Tester and Mallory Nuckols round out the roster. Simmons believes the fact that he and Broyles have a little different coaching philosophies could work out well for both teams. "Coach Broyles is a little more defensive minded, and I'm a little more offensive minded when it comes to what we like to focus on," Simmons said. "But in the end, you know, it's basketball, whether it's boys or girls. Both of us are basketball guys that want to work hard and put in the time to help these teams be successful."