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Hillcrest High School
School Info
Conference: 5A District 5-6 Conference
Classification: 5A
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Head Coach: Cody Jackson
Years as Head Coach: 3
Previous Experience: Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at Bonneville HS. Assistant coach for football, basketball, baseball, and track.
Record Last Year: 22-5
State Titles: None
Assistant Coaches:
Mike Jorgensen
Alan Sargent
Nate Martin
Who do you have coming back this year?
Makell Skidmore, 5'7 SR Guard
Sabrina Baldwin, 6'0 SR Post
Lindsay Cook, 5'11 JR Post
Any Returning Players with Honors?
Makell Skidmore - All 4A/5A High Country Conference Honorable Mention
Any “Key Players” that you lost from last year?
Jasmine Jones
Cassidy Cook
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Photo By: Brad Barlow - #11 Makell Skidmore |
Team Preview
Written by: Matt Harris
Coming off of a banner year for the Hillcrest Lady Knights program, head coach Cody Jackson knows his squad can achieve more.
His team finished 22-5 last season, taking the second spot in the 5A District 5-6 Conference and bringing home the consolation trophy at the state tournament, their first appearance at state since 2008.
But Jackson expects bigger things this season.
"These girls love to play basketball," Jackson said.
Love of the game and the desire to work hard will be the hallmarks of this year's edition of the Lady Knights. Hillcrest brings back some stellar talent, including 5'7" senior guard Makell skidmore, a 4A/5A High Country Conference honorable mention player who played much more like a first teamer towards the end of the season. She capped off her junior year with 22 points in the 5A state consolation final against Boise.
4A/5A High Country Conference All-First Team selection Lindsay Cook, a 6'0" junior post returns alongside Skidmore. Couple those two with 6'0" senior post Sabrina Baldwin and Hillcrest has the major pieces in place to make another run to state.
That run will have to be made without graduated seniors Jasmine Jones and Cassidy Cook, whom Jackson described as the 'motor' and 'quarterback' of the team, respectively.
Jackson has set goals for his team this year, with one of them being something that tends to get lost in the woodwork of high school sports.
"Playing for fun," he said. "That and limiting turnovers will be the X-Factor to our season."
As with most postseason runs in 5A basketball in East Idaho, there is always one team that stands in the way of a trip to Boise.
"Highland," Jackson said, a team that took three of four games from the Lady Knights last season. "They are always tough and you will have to beat Highland if you want to go to state."
With the valuable experience his returning starters received from the 2014 state tournament, achieving their goals could be a tad easier this season.
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