The Howard basketball season can be broken up into a couple of holiday times that have led to the Hustlin’ Tigers’ third straight state-tournament appearance.
Christmas season brought them a new mentality, with a new commitment to team defense as well as a change in both the attitude and perspective of the overall group.
However, when the 21-9 Hustlin’ Tigers found out they will take the floor today in the state quarterfinals against Liberty Tech, it was a bad case of “Groundhog Day.”
The teams are scheduled to tip off at 12:45 p.m. EDT at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro. The Crusaders (28-6) have ended Howard’s season in the past two state tournaments.
“We’re tired of playing them,” Howard senior captain Anthony Smith said. “We’re tired of losing to them, but to play them three years in a row — that just means that we have to bring it and play our hearts out, but we’d like to get this monkey off our back.”