With a new staff of experienced coaches and talent that’s creating hope for the future, the Russellville Middle School boys basketball team won six of seven games at a basketball camp in Tennessee to start the summer.
Coach Ryan Davenport posted as the team started its road trip to McKenzie, Tenn.:
“Praying these young men have a great basketball camp at Bethel University. Excited to watch them grow together as a team over the next three days. I'm excited about this new but familiar journey for myself. It’s been a while, but I’m back where it all began for me.”
Ryan Davenport has played countless roles in the Russellville schools—from student-athlete all the way through the city schools to physical education instructor at Stevenson Elementary School to assistant principal at RMS to assistant basketball coach at RHS to highly successful head softball coach to athletic director to Director of Transportation at the central office.
His basketball expertise has come from playing for the Panthers under Hall of Fame coach Phil Todd to assisting Todd in coaching all the way to the regional finals in 2017.
Davenport convinced Russellville sports historian Greg Owens to be his assistant coach.
Owens says, “I gave up coaching basketball after about 25 years in 2011. I was stunned and then got a little excited when Ryan Davenport asked me to help him coach our Middle School Panthers. We had 12 eager Panthers at camp at Bethel University ready to get excited about Panther basketball Lots of talent in our young groups and looking forward to a successful season!”
Owens learned basketball from some super coaches. His dad, Howard Owens, followed the late Jim Young as the Panther coach in the early sixties. He was the point guard on Russellville’s first district championship team in 12 years, playing for Hall of Fame coach Mickey Meguiar. Then he assisted Dennis Pardue at RHS before they moved on to successful runs at Todd Central High School and then at RHS. He and his RHS basketball and baseball teammate Phil Todd were close during Todd’s second and third stints as the Panther bench boss.
Also assisting in the coaching are Jae Allison, Devin Quarles and Derion Calloway. "We have some great guys coaching these talented young men," Davenport says, "all Panther alumni."
The coaches’ excitement about the potential of this young team proved justified at Bethel. They started with a 56-23 win over Murray and then they dominated five Tennessee teams—Camden, White Station, South Gibson, Decatur and Westmoreland, all by double digits. The lone loss was to Inman of Tennessee.
Davenport says, “Really proud of our kids! These young men went to Bethel University summer basketball camp and showed out. We capped off camp with a 10-point victory over a REALLY good team from Memphis. We finished 6-1 overall and were one of the top teams there out of 20+ teams. We were always the smallest team measured by height but the biggest measured by heart. Something special is brewing here!”
Owens agrees, “We went 6-1 against good competition and improved each day. A great experience was had by all.”
Team members are shown in the accompanying picture. They are, from left:
Front row, Jae Allison, C.J. Moses, M.J. Merriweather, Semaj Leavell and Hunter Morgan.
Middle row, Darius Browder, Amari Beard, Tyrese Browder, Tyrell Clark, Brysen Stovall,
Back row, Isiah Hampton and Gerra Buckner