Greenbrier girls plan for Elite Eight date

A single-digit loss to Richmond Academy in a preseason scrimmage at Greenbrier last week didn't get Lady Wolfpack head coach Garrett Black down.

"I'm not concerned about winning or losing tonight," he said. "We've only had one practice."

Most of the girls on the Greenbrier basketball squad participate in sports year-round. After the fall sports teams finished their seasons, a cross country runner, volleyball player and several softball players came together for basketball season.

For the Lady Wolfpack, multisport athletes make for tired legs.

"They just don't have their legs right now," Black said. "The system's in. Once we get our legs back we'll be ready."

Black did give the girls one week off after their fall sports seasons were completed. The break is well-deserved, but it gives the girls less than two weeks to prepare for their first opponent: Lakeside.

Fortunately for Greenbrier, the team returns several key members from last season's squad, which reached the Georgia High School Association Class AAAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history.

"We've got a lot of experience coming back," Black said. "We're only missing one starter."

The Lady Wolfpack will rely heavily on starting center Melissa Lewis, who has caught the eye of several college coaches despite being undersized in comparison to most centers.

Black said the team can overcome its lack of height with speed.

"That's the reason we've got to have our legs," Black said. "We've got to run the floor and beat them with our presses."

The pressing issues on the mind of Greenbrier boys basketball coach Casey Dees might include learning his players' names.

"The team's full of new people," Dees said. "We've got a lot of kids moving up from JV."

According to Dees, the talent is there for the team to make a repeat trip to the GHSA state tournament, but at the beginning of the season there is little experience to go with the talent.

The result might be a rough first half of the season, but Dees said he expects the team to improve as the season progresses.

"We're going to have kids who are willing to work," Dees said. "We want to compete for a region championship."

To reach their goals, the Wolfpack will have to do it without seniors Rich Poythress and Reggie Rice. Neither will return to the team after successful junior seasons on the court.

Starter Luther Holmes will be expected to carry much of the offensive load, with a host of guards backing him up.

Underneath the basket, Josh Dailey and John Hunter will battle for the Wolfpack.

Greenbrier's regular season kicks off at home Friday with a varsity girls and boys double-header against Lakeside.