TRENTON, Ga. — Glen Hicks has been using up his cell-phone minutes at record pace, trying to put together a game plan for his Dade County Wolverines as they open the GHSA Class AA basketball playoffs tonight at 7 at home against Westminster.
The veteran coach normally doesn’t worry about how an opponent plays, preferring to concentrate on getting his team’s hyper attack in high gear. With Westminster, though, Hicks sees a polar-opposite team and expects an intense battle of wills.
“They will be the biggest team we’ve seen, and we’ve struggled some against big teams,” said Hicks, whose 25-3 Wolverines lost to a taller Rockmart team for the second time this year in Tuesday’s Region 7-AA final. “Westminster likes to play their games in the 40s. Of course, we like it a little quicker, and if we can get in our tempo I like our chances.
“I’ve called all my coaching buddies looking for something, and I think we’ve got a thing or two that will work. We have to open the floor up and get some dribble-and-drive stuff going. We never were able to do that against Rockmart.”
GEORGIA STATE FIRST ROUNDBoys’ games tonightClass AAA: East Hall at Ringgold, 7:30Class AA: Westminster at Dade County, 7; Chattooga at Decatur, 7Class A: Wesleyan at Gordon Lee, 7Girls’ games SaturdayClass AAAA: Northwest Whifield at Chamblee, 6Class AAA: Creekview at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, 5; Flowery Branch at Southeast Whitfield, 6; Ringgold at Gainesville, 6Class AA: Calhoun at Heard CountyClass A: St. Francis at Gordon Lee, 4; Eagle’s Landing Christian at Trion, 6
Hicks cited a couple of positives that might have come out of the Tuesday loss. One, his players might be more focused; and two, by losing the Wolverines actually may have made their path through the playoffs a bit easier.
“Actually, we ended up in a better bracket,” Hicks said. “Now, we can’t look past anyone. That’s something I’ve been preaching. But I think we’re going to be OK.”
The winner tonight will face Manchester or Jefferson. Manchester, the four seed from Region 5, has a decent chance to win, which would put Dade back at home next Tuesday. Also, by losing the Wolverines are on the opposite side of the bracket from top-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian.
Not every area team, however, caught a bracket break. Gordon Lee went undefeated in Region 6-A, earning the top seed with its third win of the season over Bowdon. The Trojans, though, have to face a higher-ranked team in tonight’s opener in Chickamauga. Seventh-ranked Wesleyan was upset in its region tournament and went from a probable top seed to the fourth.
“They were the best team in that region, but they got beat twice in the tournament,” said Ed Clendenen, coach of the ninth-ranked Trojans. “There’s nothing we can do about it. It should be a good one. I think we match up well with each other.”