HOOPER COOPER

Collin Cooper is quiet by nature. He's admittedly not a rah-rah player, choosing instead to let his play on the basketball court do the talking. The numbers he is putting up this season say plenty. The 6-foot-2 junior point guard has taken his game to a different level this season, increasing his scoring average from about 10 points per game as a sophomore to 19.2 this season. He's also improved in other areas, such as his 3-point shooting, where he's knocking down 2.5 treys per game at a 63 percent clip. "Players make a lot of progress from their sophomore to their junior year, and I think back to Payton (Willis) and I shouldn't do that because it's a pretty tough comparison, but they are similar players in the respect that everything statistically improved from their sophomore to their junior year," Fayetteville coach Kyle Adams said. Willis is a sophomore guard at Vanderbilt who starred at Fayetteville. While scoring is a major area of Cooper's value to the Bulldogs, Adams said he has seen other aspects of Cooper's game improve as well, specifically on the defensive end. Cooper has thrived in the biggest games of the season for the Bulldogs (18-8), who claimed the 7A-West Conference championship and a No. 1 seed in this week's Class 7A State Tournament in North Little Rock. The Bulldogs also earned a first-round bye and will open play at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against the winner of the Springdale High-Bryant matchup. Against Springdale Har-Ber two weeks ago, Cooper went off for 30 points, the third time this season he has topped the 30-point mark, and led the Bulldogs to a road win that played a significant role in Fayetteville earning the No. 1 seed. "That was one of the goals we had at the beginning of the season," Cooper said. "That was very important for us. It helps in the tournament to get that bye and not play until Thursday." Coming into the season, the Bulldogs were tabbed to finish fifth in the conference by league coaches. Adams said although he could not argue with that prediction, he also admitted the Bulldogs used that as motivation. "I'm not justifying that pick," Adams said. "We really had some kids step up this year and come a long way in their leadership roles, scoring roles and really just fitting into the team scheme of things." With 8 losses on the year, Fayetteville does not carry a gaudy record into the state tournament. Cooper said the Bulldogs' brutal nonconference schedule helped prepare the team for the conference and postseason schedule. "Those games showed us what we needed to work on," Cooper said. "But we also did a lot of team bonding and it helped with team chemistry." Fayetteville went 11-3 in conference play, sweeping Har-Ber in the process, but getting swept by Springdale High. Heading into the regular season finale, Fayetteville had to beat Van Buren to claim the No. 1 seed and the Bulldogs rallied late to pull out a 71-64 win. Earlier in the week, Fayetteville lost to Springdale to snap a seven-game winning streak. Cooper has been offered a scholarship by the University of Central Arkansas but said he's not focusing on the recruiting process at this time. "Playing in college has been my main goal since I was in the ninth grade," Cooper said. "I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to that every day. I'll probably narrow it down toward the end of my senior year and probably sign on the last signing day," he said. Before games, he said he listens to Kodak Black to get hyped. Away from the court, he said he likes to spend time with his younger brother, Chandler. Adams said he's excited for his team to take the floor on Thursday at North Little Rock. "This group is pretty laid back, but on the floor they are very focused," Adams said. "They have a toughness to them that I really like."

HOOPER COOPER

Photo Credit: Andy Shupe

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