Wearing a target is nothing new for the Eagle’s Landings boys basketball team is nothing new. But adding the state championship a year ago certainly did not diminish the number of slings and arrows headed in their direction.
“Always … it isn’t even just this year, it’s something that we pride ourselves on,” said Eagle’s Landing coach Elliott Montgomery said. “In coaching you have to ask yourself, do you want to be a fighter going up? Do you want to be a top dog and keep on fight? We want to stay the top dog and keep fighting. That’s what we want. That’s our objective.”
Eagle’s Landing went 27-1 last year – the only setback a one-point loss to Tift County – and beat Tri-Cities 81-69 to win the Class 5A title. It was the second state championship for the school, which also won the 5A crown in 2013.
“We’ve been a top dog for a long time,” Montgomery said. “God has blessed us. I can’t take any credit. I just work my butt off as much as He allows me. … But it’s a great, great place to be.”
Montgomery is being modest. He took over the program in 2014-15 and went 14-13. Since then Eagle’s Landing has gone 24-5, 21-7, 22-7-1, 23-5 and 25-4 before last year’s championship season. Few others in Georgia can match that level of success.
Eagle’s Landing opened the season by winning its first eight games, but lost to Class 7A No. 3 Grayson 59-56 and Class 2A No. 1 Pace Academy 70-67 in the Playing for a Change Tournament at Pace.
The Eagle’s lost a pair of guards in Jayden Jackson and Jaylon Hand, but have plenty of talent returning. Starters coming back include A.J. Barnes (6-5 senior), are David Thomas (6-foot-2 junior) and Jackson Fordyce (6-4 senior) along with Fabian Desilva (6-4 senior), who played a lot as a reserve and moved into the starting lineup this season.
Barnes, who was the Region 4 Player of the Year, had 21 points and 15 rebounds in the state championship game. He is getting plenty of looks, including Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech and East Carolina.
“I believe we should be really good,” Montgomery said. “And we have some 11th graders that nobody knows, but they are tough and they are playing well.”
Others expected to contribute are juniors Khylan McKennie and Isaiah Parrett and sophomore Ty Reddman.
With a roster loaded with quality players, it can be hard for the youngsters to find their minutes.
“I have to ask myself this question: If I was in the 10th grade, would I want to be there?” Montgomery said “And I’d have to say maybe not, but you get in practice, because I do believe this still – practice is where you get better. And when you’re not practicing, practicing outside practice is where you get really good. Everybody knows that in a season, nobody plays good all the time, people get a little sore or injured, so you may get your shot.”
Eagle’s Landing returns to action on Jan. 7 at Stockbridge. The Tigers, along with Woodland and Dutchtown, are the main obstacles in the way of another region championship.
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