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DEL.ICIO.USExcitement still abounds at S. Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Not since Louis Williams has there been so much anticipation about basketball at South Gwinnett.
Williams packed gyms, which was the magnitude of his talent. The beneficiaries were many - his teammates (Mike Mercer, Avery Jukes, Delano Howard got college looks), the school (great takes at the door) and the girls team (significant exposure playing before packed houses).
“There’s no doubt that there was tremendous exposure playing before Louis because he was such a great player and person,” Comets coach Mike Allison said. “I don’t think you will ever see crowds like that again because Louis is such a once-in-a-lifetime player.”
There was a nice crowd but plenty of sitting room Friday night when South Gwinnett’s girls met South Cobb in the first round of the state playoffs. But the importance of what the Comets were embarking on meant just as much as the hyped years with Williams, Mercer, et al.
Since losing the first two games of the season, South has run off 25 straight wins and ascended to No. 3 in the state. Like when Williams was BMOC, the expectation is of a championship, even with unbeatens Collins Hill and Stephenson forces to be overcome.
“If we weren’t in this position,” Allison said, “it’d be a wasted season.”
Wasted because his team has the goods to be the last team standing in the end. Like the Williams team that featured outstanding talent, Allison’s group is laced with players with stunning skill sets that, together, make an imposing presence.
Just ask South Cobb, a very well-coached and determined team that fell 61-48. Try as the Eagles might, they simply could not overcome the Comets’ big-time talent, discipline and experience.
Allison has molded a team that knows how to play as a unit and with unbridled hustle. If there are selfish tendencies in the players, they do not show up on the court.
Alex Winchell, a point guard who has signed with Memphis, runs the team with flair and confidence. With the ball, she’s as gifted and crafty as anyone, and she can score in bunches.
She is aided and abetted by Emily Clarke, a senior who played before those large crowds that gathered to see Williams two years ago. So, a first-round playoff game hardly fazed her.
Then there is Antionette Howard, the sister of Delano Howard, the floor leader of the South Gwinnett championship team of three years ago. Lil Sis is a forward headed to Florida, which speaks to her talent.
If you sleep, Mandi Dudish will wake you up from 3-point range, where she is deadly.
Above and beyond all that, the Comets play defense with a tenacity and sense of pride that simply wore down the Eagles. It would have taken a calculator to count the passes South Gwinnett stole that led to fast breaks.
“The one thing I know about this team is that it will play hard,” said Allison, whose team has not lost a region game in — get this — three years.
Being unfamiliar with the Eagles, led by Ashley Fields and Kyra Crosby, mattered little. South Cobb pushed the ball, applied pressure … and still found itself down 14 points going into the fourth quarter.
Allison kept his players fresh via substitutions, and they executed precision plays that resulted in many open looks. And he kept himself fresh, too, hardly ever leaving his seat on the end of the bench.
In the final seconds, however, he rose and slapped hands with his players. Phase 1 of their quest to return a championship to South Gwinnett was accomplished.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Comments
By m e sue
February 24, 2007 2:18 AM | Link to this
South does indeed have a Great team that plays good basketball. They will no doubt have to play Collins Hill or Stephenson if they do infact make it to the championship game. Stephenson has a Great Team that plays really good Basketball. Stephenson is better than the 2004 team that won the state championship which by the way is the last team in Georgia to beat Collins Hill. Collins Hill is also a Great Team that plays Great Basketball especially when challenged. Look at the National teams they beat over the holidays to win two National Tournaments and climb to the number one ranking in the National Poll. They also found out what is is like to take another team for granted when they met Mill Creek in January. They were seriously down and challenged but they did what great teams do. They WON - end of story. Collins Hill has beat Stephenson three times since they lost that 2004 championship game and beat South Gwinnett in last years final. All three teams play unselfish basketball or else they would not be in the position they are in. They all have experience in big games. Stephenson’s seniors were there in 2004 as freshmen and again in the semi final against Collins HIll in 2005 as sophmores. South Gwinnett of course was there in the final last year and played very hard. Collins Hill not only has experience in big games they also have Maya Moore. In her 4 years with Collins Hill they are 121 wins and 3 losses as of tonight. It is almost a sure bet that South Gwinnett will make the final. Let’s face it they have the easiest road to get there. For Stephenson or Collins Hill to get to the final one of them will most likely have to beat the other. If all three teams are on there best game Collins Hill wins another title but if Collins Hill is not on there best game then Stephenson will likely be in the final. Either way, either one of them wins State against South Gwinnett. That is not to knock South Gwinnett by any means again they are a Great Team, it is just that Collins Hill and Stephenson also Great Teams and they are just that GOOD. I personally think it is a shame that Collins Hill and Stephenson may have to play in a semi final game because of the brackets they are in. That game if it happens will be for the Title.
One more thing - none of this matters and nothing any of them did during the season matters and their National Ranking doesn’t matter. All that matters now is what they do in their next game. If any of them make it to the final and lose they had a good season but nothing to show for it. Sad but True. Or wait! Can there be a tie in the final basketball game? Hm??????????
By rmcfan
February 25, 2007 3:37 AM | Link to this
“I personally think it is a shame that Collins Hill and Stephenson may have to play in a semi final game because of the brackets they are in. That game if it happens will be for the Title.” - m e sue
Wrong, wrong, wrong! If South makes it to the final game, the winner of the CH vs Stephenson game, if it happens, will have to get by South. If they don’t, they are not the Georgia AAAAA State Champions. By making the above statement, you are disregarding the final game and dismissing the winner of the final game. Remember, Stephenson did not make it to the finals last year because they ran into guess who, South Gwinnett. If the 3 teams make it to the final four, and then the final game is a rematch of last year, there is no way you can say Stephenson is a better team than South. Right now, someone will have to beat CH to claim the title. All 3 schools have had great seasons, and it is a shame that 2 of them will have to lose, but that is why the games are played. And as for South Gwinnett, they will not be overlooking any of their next opponents.
By m e sue
March 2, 2007 12:08 AM | Link to this
rmcfan - you are right. Although as I said South has the easiest road to get their. Don’t think for a minute they are not glad that Collins HIll and Stephenson will have to play each other to get there and they will only have to face the winner in the final the day after the two of them beat each other up.
And by the way the reason Stephenson was not in the final in 2005 was because Collins Hill beat them in the Semi Final. And yes last year SG beat them in the Semi Final. If you doubt anything I’m saying go ask any SG player or coach which team they had rather face in the Semi Final instead of the Final. Collins HIll nor Stephenson will not be the answer. It will be Camden or Douglass. Like you and your opinion this is just my opinion.
By tony
March 3, 2007 1:46 AM | Link to this
MAKE SURE S.GWINNETT DONT FORGET ABOUT CAMPBELL COBB CO. GREATEST GIRLS TEAM IN YEARS YEA THE TEAM THEY CHEAT TO BET LAST YEAR IN THE ELITE EIGHT TO ALL HATERS OF OTHER COUNTYS CAMPBELL IS COMIN AND THEY HUNGRY ASK STEPHENSON THEY KNOW WELL COLLINS HILL WONT LEAVE GWINNETT SPARYBERRY GAVE THEM RUN. LETS GO CAMPBELL