501 Basketball Team announced for 2015

The 501 Basketball Team is growing! The inaugural team in 2014 focused just on schools in Faulkner and Conway counties, but the second edition is expanding.

“Much in the same way that we continue to see our 501 Football Team grow and expand to new schools every year, we are seeing the same growth in our second year with the 501 Basketball Team,” said Levi Gilbert, associate editor. “We’re excited to be expanding into the Cabot and Searcy communities.”

The team features 24 of the best student-athletes the 501 has to offer — both on and off the court. The team is made up of male and female athletes.

2015 team members include: Joe Beck (Sacred Heart), Luke Beckman (Conway Christian), Garrett Brown (Vilonia), Caroline Dail (St. Joseph), Jordan Danberry (Conway), Kyle Ferguson (Greenbrier), Emily Hampton (Mayflower), Ali Harris (Wonderview), Tori Jackson (Morrilton), Anna Lawrence (Faulkner County Falcons), Hayden Mathews (Harding Academy), Keeton McEntire (Mount Vernon-Enola), Stephen McNair (Faulkner County Falcons), John Nekonchuk (Conway), Carly Powell (Conway Christian), Riley Rose (Harding Academy), Garrett Rowe (Cabot), Dylan     Schrekenhofer (St. Joseph), Marcel Swinton (Morrilton), Kassidy Thompson (Nemo Vista), Ty Virden (Nemo Vista), James Wade (Searcy), Kory Westerman (Greenbrier) and Jordan Wright (Wonderview).

Players were nominated by their respective coaches and selected by the 501 LIFE staff. Nominations were weighted equally between on- and off-the-court attributes.

The team recently met at Conway Christian’s gym for a photo shoot and individual interviews.

“Reading the nominations is one thing, but actually meeting these students face-to-face makes it clear why they were nominated by their coaches,” Gilbert said. “We can’t wait to share their stories with our readers throughout the rest of the high school basketball season.”

In addition to being featured in 501 LIFE’s January issue, each player will be featured individually throughout the winter online at 501lifemag.com and in 501 Sports Extra, 501’s sports e-newsletter. (To subscribe, email [email protected] or visit 501lifemag.com.)

Members of the 501 Basketball Team: Garrett Brown, Vilonia (front, from left); Ty Virden, Nemo Vista; John Nekonchuk, Conway; Dylan Schrekenhofer, St. Joseph (middle); Stephen McNair, Faulkner County Falcons; Marcel Swinton, Morrilton; Jordan Wright, Wonderview; Joe Beck, Sacred Heart (back); James Wade, Searcy; Keeton McEntire, Mount Vernon-Enola; Kyle Ferguson, Greenbrier; and Garrett Rowe, Cabot. Not pictured: Hayden Matthews, Harding Academy; and Luke Beckman, Conway Christian. (Mike Kemp photo)

“We’d like to thank all the coaches who took the time to recognize one of their outstanding student-athletes by submitting a nomination,” Gilbert said. “We couldn’t do our jobs without their help and support.”