By Parker Gillam Sports Editor parker@gulfcoastmedia.com
A plethora of basketball programs from Baldwin County took part in a preseason Media Day on Monday at the United States Sports University in Daphne.
From the local area, 18 teams were represented at the event, with players and coaches fielding questions from reporters and posing for photos.
Baldwin County Athletics Supervisor Spencer Segrest, who just started the job 11 days ago, got things started at 8:30 a.m. with an opening address before teams took to the podium throughout the morning and afternoon. He notably talked at length about the formal addition of shot clocks into the game this year, with all area schools having them already installed.
Here are some of the notable quotes and notes from what was said ahead of the season beginning in early November:
*Part 1 of 3*
Robertsdale Girls
Representatives: Daniel LoVette (Head Coach), Eva Aguilar (SR, SG), Genesis Kirkland (SOPH, PG)
Entering his first season at the helm of the girls program, Coach LoVette had previously worked with the boys for the past three years. He moved to Baldwin County in 2005 and graduated from Foley.
“We’ve got a handful of seniors and then we’re really freshman and sophomore-heavy.”— Daniel LoVette, Head Coach
Robertsdale girls head coach Daniel Lovette speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“We’ve been doing a lot more team bonding this year, and so we’ve come together and had more effort and heart. And that’s what will make us win games, because if you don’t have that, then you’re not really playing basketball.” — Eva Aguilar, Senior Shooting Guard
“Over the summer our hashtag was ‘All Heart,’ because effort beats talent every single day. And especially with the shot clock now, we’re going to be running and gunning.”— Daniel LoVette, Head Coach
Robertsdale will be hosting its annual pre-Thanksgiving tournament.
“There won’t be any holding the ball for four minutes this year, which will be good. Finding an outlet pass and really pushing the ball up the floor will be huge, as well as transition defense with that shot clock.”— Daniel LoVette, Head Coach
“I would say to really just put yourself out there, be attentive and don’t be scared of opportunities.” — Genesis Kirkland, Sophomore Point Guard, speaking on her advice to up-and-coming freshmen
“I’m the third coach in the last handful of years here, so we’re just trying to build a sense of community with this being a family.” — Daniel LoVette, Head Coach
“I think he’s a really good guy. He gives us freedom of expression a lot, and I like that in a coach.” — Genesis Kirkland, Sophomore Point Guard
Robertsdale Boys
Representatives: Tereance Pinkney (Head Coach), Kyle Averette (SR, G), Brandon King Jr. (SOPH, G)
Pinkney is also entering his first season at the helm after spending last year as an assistant on the boys staff. He previously led Hillcrest-Evergreen to a 2024 state title and was also the girls head coach at Daphne in 2011 and 2012.
“What keeps me coming back each year is the knowledge that I try to pass on to these kids from what I’ve learned from other coaches. Just being in this fraternal brotherhood of coaches and giving back, it’s still not out of my system yet.”— Terence Pinkney, Head Coach
Robertsdale boys head coach Tereance Pinkney speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“I’m just trying to get us as far as we can, get that bus trip over to Montgomery or Birmingham. — Kyle Averette, Senior Guard
“If my shots aren’t going in, I can always fall back on doing the dirty work with defense, rebounds and doing everything that most people don’t think about when they enter a game.” — Brandon King Jr., Sophomore Guard
Robertsdale sophomore Brandon King. Jr speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“These kids are always in the gym. The thing I love is that they’ll call me to get in there on days when it’s not open, so they just always have a ball in their hands and never run away from the work”— Terence Pinkney, Head Coach
“I know a lot of guys are looking up to me, so I’ve been working on getting better at leadership as one of the older players.” — Kyle Averette, Senior Guard
Robertsdale senior Kyle Averette speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“I think it’s [shot clock] a good thing, particularly for the kids that want to go on to play in college. They need to get acclimated to playing with it, and it gives teams more opportunities to get back in the game.”— Terence Pinkney, Head Coach
The team is set to play six seniors, roughly 4-5 juniors and five sophomores. Similarly to the Robertsdale girls squad, Pinkney’s group is fairly young. He’s hoping to set a culture this season and build off of it with those underclassmen as the years go by.
In addition to the aforementioned Thanksgiving Tournament, the Bears’ boys team will also travel to Mississippi for a handful of games and head down to Fort Walton Beach for a tournament around Christmas time.
“He [King Jr.] already understands the game at a high level as a sophomore, and he can both shoot and facilitate. He’s only going to get better from here on out.” — Kyle Averette, Senior Guard
“He’s [Pinkney] always told us to never let people run over us. You don’t want anybody to just walk into your house and eat your food.” — Brandon King Jr., Sophomore Guard
A rarity in the modern game, King Jr. is actually a big fan of the mid-range shot.
Orange Beach Girls
Representatives: Terry Canova (Head Coach)
Canova takes over the Orange Beach girls program after spending the last 20 years at UMS-Wright. He’s been coaching for 34 years in total, with some of that time spent in Louisiana.
“I inherited a group that had seven kids returning who played a bit of varsity last year. And then we have four players who did not play last year who joined our team, so right now a big part of what we’re trying to do is find an identity.”— Terry Canova, Head Coach
Orange Beach girls head coach Terry Canova speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
“The first thing I did when I was offered this position was to go out and get my assistant coach. The success I’ve had is about the people around me, and so the first thing I did was call Coach Amanda Niehoff at Saraland and asked what it’d take to get here over here. The basketball gods shined down on me when she said yes, and my wife said that she must love you a heckuva lot more than you love her.”— Terry Canova, Head Coach
“Another big part was coming in and building relationships with these players, because it’s an outstanding group.”— Terry Canova, Head Coach
“Allie Roach is a sophomore on our team who basically led the group in just about every statistical category as a freshman. She wants to play on the next level and will be a key piece, and then there’s Arianna Santos who played the point last year. She’ll be a senior, while Sloane Stephens was the team’s best 3-point shooter.”— Terry Canova, Head Coach
“And one of the new players we brought in is Jayde Palmer, who played as a freshman and averaged 14 points in 11 games. But she’s also committed to Alabama for softball, so I have to be flexible with when she can be around.”— Terry Canova, Head Coach
“I think the shot clock is good, don’t get me wrong. But I think initially a lot of people on social media that wanted it thought it could make some scrub a college player, or a bad team good. That’s absolutely not true, good coaches are going to win and bad coaches are going to lose. So we’re going to play fast and find good shots early, and the shot clock will allow us to play a zone and be more effective.” — Terry Canova, Head Coach
Canova also revealed that Niehoff will be in charge of the team’s defense this season, a responsibility he has not relinquished before.
The Lady Makos will be playing at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center for a unique game this season, and Canova said he’ll take that opportunity to bring the group to his native home of Lafayette.
Orange Beach Boys
Representatives: Chris Laatsch (Head Coach), Sutton Rambo (SR, G), Connor Ford (JR, SG)
Laatsch is entering his third season at Orange Beach and 33rd year of coaching overall. He began as a head coach at Briarwood Christian after spending four years as an assistant at UMS-Wright. Laatsch also was a head coach at Helena and Spain Park High Schools.
“I don’t feel like I’m slowing down, I still love every day.”— Chris Laatsch, Head Coach
Orange Beach boys head coach Chris Laatsch speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
“We’ve got all five starters back, so we’re excited about that. Our schedule changes a bit with the reclassifications, because our path is now full of programs who were 5A a year ago. So there are some really talented kids and great coaches who we will be playing against.”— Chris Laatsch, Head Coach
“Our main focus this offseason was just getting stronger for our new area. All the teams we play are going to be bigger than us, so our main focus is being able to play physically with them”— Sutton Rambo, Senior Guard
Orange Beach senior Sutton Rambo speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“Lee Steele has been our leading scorer, rebounders, blocks, assists…he’s just kinda done it all for us and been a vocal leader. He’s one of three football guys on the team.”— Chris Laatsch, Head Coach
“Sutton Rambo is kinda our utility guy. He’s played some post, he’s played some point, he’s played some wing and is just super coachable and a great leader. And then Connor Ford is another one that does a bit of everything, and he can shoot it really well too.” — Chris Laatsch, Head Coach
“I’d say I’m a facilitator first, but if my teammates need me to knock down a shot I’ll obviously do that.”— Connor Ford, Junior Shooting Guard
Orange Beach junior Connor Ford speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“Parker Melton is a senior from Buckhorn High School, and he’s a talented player that should be really good for us. Devin Gause is also a football guy that will be with us this year.”— Chris Laatsch, Head Coach
“Our biggest strength is playing together. We have a good family here, and so we can play together and communicate well, so it’s hard to attack us.”— Sutton Rambo, Senior Guard
“Since my freshman year with Coach Laatsch, he’s made such a big emphasis on how important family is. So everybody has been really welcoming to the new guys who have come in.”— Connor Ford, Junior Shooting Guard
The Makos will travel down to Orlando for a five-day trip and also play a game at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center.
“I think we have to turn punches in our mouth to punches in theirs. All the teams we’re gonna play this year are great, so we just have to fight back.” — Sutton Rambo, Senior Guard
Gulf Shores Girls
Representatives: Brian Sexton (Head Coach), Caitlynn Sexton (SR, PF), Anna Murray (SR, CG)
Sexton is entering his eighth season at the helm with Gulf Shores, having moved from Las Vegas prior.
“We’ve been blessed with a new facility this year, and so we’re really looking forward to playing in it. I feel like in the playoffs we’ve always struggled adjusting to court size, so now we get to practice in a larger one every day.”— Brian Sexton, Head Coach
Gulf Shores girls head coach Brian Sexton speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
Sexton hopes to play 8-9 players at the varsity level, with a quintet of seniors being the leaders. He explained that those veterans have been playing together since middle school.
“I usually address him [Coach Sexton] as ‘Hey, I need you.’”— Caitlynn Sexton, Senior Power Forward, talking about the father-daughter relationship on the team
Gulf Shores senior Caitlynn Sexton speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
“Jasmine Caldwell has been putting in the work and is set to be our backup point guard, which in high school basketball sometimes you’re lucky if you have just one. And then our other junior is Olivia Morroni, and she did a lot for us over the summer to help round out the group.”— Brian Sexton, Head Coach
“We’ve [seniors] been playing together since seventh grade, and I wouldn’t want to share this with anybody else. They’re the best four seniors I could ever play with, and I think we’ve left our mark at Gulf Shores.”— Anna Murray, Senior Combo Guard
Gulf Shores senior Anna Murray speaks at Baldwin County Basketball Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
“I expect my team to work together. We’re a close group of girls, and the past couple of years there’s been some tension but I feel like this year we all get along and are here for each other.”— Caitlynn Sexton, Senior Power Forward
“I’m hoping our dinners are a lot better so people can actually eat at the game and not feel like they need to get out of there early to go eat. We’ll be making chicken sandwiches, hamburgers and other stuff, so come out and support.”— Brian Sexton, Head Coach
“These girls are going to play really well together. When you talk about a team that’s going to make the extra pass, we’ll make two. The only bad part is that sometimes we’ll make three when we should’ve stopped at two.” — Brian Sexton, Head Coach
“On the court, our focus this offseason was on scoring. All of us can pass the ball, but I think our main thing this year is being able to put the ball on the ground and go score.” — Caitlynn Sexton, Senior Power Forward
“It’s a team sport…at the end of the day it can’t all be on one person. So we play together as one in the Dolphin program.”— Anna Murray, Senior Combo Guard
“We just had Madison Dowling come back to be a coach after playing for me during my first three years, and Alleigh Coburn is another ex-player who is going to run my rec program with the U10 and U12 girls.”— Brian Sexton, Head Coach
“We all look pretty scrawny, I will say that. But if anybody will take a charge, I would say Lily [Harris].”— Anna Murray, Senior Combo Guard
Tolbert has a myriad of coaching stops on his résumé, including stints with John Carroll Catholic High School, Montgomery Catholic, Coastal Carolina University, UMS-Wright, Jackson High School and Spanish Fort prior to taking over the Dolphins program.
“We’re going to be extremely young. I think we have two seniors, one of which is coming over from Orange Beach. And then I’ve got a heavy junior class and a really solid sophomore class to go along with them, and then I’m really excited about the youth of the program.”— Jimbo Tolbert, Head Coach
Gulf Shores boys head coach Jimbo Tolbert speaks at Baldwin County Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Parker Gillam / Gulf Coast Media
“The speed of going from junior varsity to varsity is so much different, so I always tell the younger guys to just be prepared mentally for that.”— McKlain Watts, Junior Point Guard
Gulf Shores junior McKlain Watts speaks at Baldwin County Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
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“I don’t really take away the wins and losses, they’re a bonus. Year-in and year-out, it’s the relationships with these guys that are important. Getting a call at 10 o’clock at night from a former player asking to meet up, or someone inviting you to their wedding or graduation. That’s why I still do it, to have that camaraderie.”— Jimbo Tolbert, Head Coach
“Personally, I worked on my shot in order to get my percentages up and be more confident in it. As a team, we’ve definitely been working on defense and adjusting to the shot clock.”— Griffin Klatt, Junior Small Forward
“I took the job four years ago and understood the facilities were going to be built, but then for them to tell us on June 4 that we’d be able to begin working out prior to the season, it’s awesome. The gym is first class and right up there with the best in the state”— Jimbo Tolbert, Head Coach
Gulf Shores will be breaking in its new ‘Tank’ with a Thanksgiving tournament, with Tolbert adding that the program hopes to host plenty of events featuring teams from all over the region in the future.
“Both of these guys [Watts, Klatt] were really thrown into the fire last year due to unforeseen circumstances, and they ended up playing in all 31 games for a group that made the playoffs.”— Jimbo Tolbert, Head Coach
Gulf Shores boys head coach Jimbo Tolbert speaks at Baldwin County Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
Gulf Shores junior McKlain Watts speaks at Baldwin County Media Day on Monday, Oct. 12, in Daphne.
