Basketball teams prepare for season
Evans' boys basketball coach Kevin Kenny barked out at his team at a recent practice.
Greenbrier High School freshman Sara Oland shoots free throws during practice. Oland is the only freshman on the girls varsity team.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
"You guys are going to have to be better than that," Kenny said. "We can't make dumb mistakes."
His team is expected to be one of the better county teams this season, and it showed its promise as basketball practice began recently.
Augusta Prep's Glenn Miller has added scoring pop to an Evans offense that faced tough matchups during its seasons in Class AAAAA. During the past two seasons, the Knights have faced off against "Mr. Georgia Basketball" Corey Gibbs, of Redan; Memphis' Robert Dozier, from Lithonia High and Georgia Tech signee Alade Aminu, from Stephenson.
In a summer league game, Miller scored 28 points in the second half against Laney.
"He is going to be very important for our team's success," Kenny said. "We expect big things out of him when the season begins."
The season officially began Tuesday, but most county teams will open up play this weekend.
"We don't really get much time to get ready for the season," Greenbrier girls coach Garrett Black said. "It is hard to get everything together. You are forced to really get everything together in the season."
Black finished coaching softball and had to transition to basketball with only a one-week break.
"It is tough to go from one to the other, but I've done it before," Black said.
Black and Greenbrier open up with Harlem on Saturday night.
Harlem's April Woodard and Greenbrier's Michelle Swiec are two of the premier guards in the county.
"April is a real athlete," Black said.
"She is going to be trouble for whoever plays against her."
Harlem coach Kim Chambers said he is excited about the season but feels his teams are in an uphill battle in their new region 3-AAA.
"We are going to have a tough time against the Butlers and the Glenn Hills and the Hephzibahs and the Thomsons," he said. "We have worked real hard. We can only go out there and play the games now."
The opening week's schedule:
Friday: Harlem at Taliaferro County, Gatewood at Augusta Prep, Hephzibah at Lakeside.
Saturday: Harlem at Greenbrier, Evans at Burke County.
Monday: Lakeside at Harlem, Alleluia at Augusta Christian, Greenbrier at Westside.