By John Loop
Sports Writer

Non-district play is down to its final game for the Coppell Cowboys. Looking to gain momentum entering the district gameplay portion of their schedule, Coppell is using their matchup with the McKinney Lions as a final tune-up.

The Lions (13-5) are led by 6’5″ senior post Raynell Denny. Denny averages 17.1 points a game, proving that he can score at will. He has scored below 10 points in only one game this season. The senior is also a force at the defensive end, averaging 14.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game.

In the McKinney backcourt, the Lions’ two starting guards have one thing in common: football. Seniors Connor Fuentes and Jonathan Shannon started at wide receiver for the Lions varsity football team this year. This combo has the speed, as well as the hands, to cause problems on both ends of the court for the Cowboys tomorrow night.

Since McKinney plays a two-guard front when they walk the ball down the floor, Coppell head coach Kit Pehl had the team work on trapping at half court and, what he called, “gap integrity”.

Rightfully so, because, more often than not, every time Fuentes or Shannon has gotten the ball, some variation of dribble penetration has happened. Pehl knows that both these guys are quick to the hoop, and will do everything in his power to help the Cowboys shut them down.

The key matchup will fall on the shoulders of Coppell junior forward Simi Socks, as it has so often this season.

Socks has faced off against Richardson-Berkner post Soma Edo and Plano’s down-low duo of Austin Evans and Dustin Bercutt already, but, as the numbers tell us, Raynell Denny is a different animal.

Socks has not had to defend a big man of Denny’s caliber before this game, so Tuesday’s contest will truly be a test for the junior.