MANNFORD PIRATES
COACH: Alex Moore
Record: 13-11
OUTLOOK
With a new head coach at the helm and a strong interior core returning, the Mannford Pirates are ready to battle through another tough season of competition. First-year head coach Alex Moore, who spent the past five seasons as an assistant, is confident in his team’s foundation and leadership as they look to build on last year’s success.
“We graduated all of our guards but return a solid group of inside guys,” said Moore. “We will lean on the talent and experience of our bigger guys, particularly early in the season. We will look for Logan Bynum (6-2, Jr.) and Max Moore (6-3, Sr.) to lead us in more than just scoring. Cooper Ausbern (6-2, Sr.) will also provide some good leadership and physical presence inside. Those three have to carry more of a load this year than in the past few years.”
Junior standout Logan Bynum is expected to anchor the Pirates on both ends of the floor. “He is an inside-out scorer,” Moore said. “He also has the ability to defend in the post and the perimeter as well as providing some rim protection. We will be asking him to shoot, attack off the bounce, and score from the post and he is capable of doing all three. He has put in a lot of work this past year in preparation for an even bigger role than what he has played the last two years. He averaged nine points per game last year as a sophomore, and we look for him to take a bigger leap this year.”
Senior Max Moore adds toughness and rebounding inside after averaging five points and six rebounds per game last season, while fellow senior Cooper Ausbern will play a key role as both a vocal leader and physical post presence.
The Pirates’ lineup also features juniors JJ Hindsman (5-10, Jr.) and Ben Shasteen (5-9, Jr.), who will be asked to contribute in the backcourt as the team develops depth and balance. “We have some guards with some potential but lack experience right now, and we will need them to step up in order to become more well-rounded as a group,” said Moore. “We play in a good conference, so how quickly those younger and less experienced guys come along will be a big factor in how our season goes.”
With a strong frontcourt, dedicated leadership, and a coach who knows the program inside and out, the Mannford Pirates are prepared to grind out another competitive year under Moore’s guidance.
