CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — On the surface, one basketball program’s success has very little to do with the other. A closer look, however, reveals a definite correlation between the boys’ and girls’ Region 6-A regular-season championships at Gordon Lee High School.
As the only school in the northwest Georgia area to produce regular-season titles for both its teams this season, Gordon Lee has earned a reputation as one of the best small-school programs in Georgia. This is, in fact, the second time in three seasons the school has produced dual basketball titles.
There is both a mutual respect among coaches and players and what they like to call a friendly rivalry.
“First of all, we want to be double winners here,” boys’ coach Ed Clendenen said. “The staffs are close, something we’re very fortunate to have. I love to watch the girls play and seeing them get better and better. They’re going to be hard to beat in the postseason.
“But there might be a little competition to see which team goes further. I know the guys don’t like to be outdone by the girls, but this year it’s been hard to keep up.”
The Lady Trojans are 22-1 and, like the 18-5 Trojans, undefeated in 6-A. The girls, though, have regularly posted lopsided wins, including back-to-back 50-plus-point blowouts this week. The Trojans, on the other and, often have had to rally for wins, including last week’s 10-point win over Bowdon that sealed the regular season title.
Lady Trojans coach Lester Galyon, his staff and players never leave the gym early following their games.
“It’s mutually beneficial for both teams to be doing so well at the same time,” said Galyon, who like Clendenen is in his ninth season as head coach. “We share a lot of things with them, and our girls see just how hard the boys work and they don’t want to be outworked. We enjoy watching their games; they’re always exciting.”
The Lady Trojans, who are going for their fourth consecutive region title, have annually gotten the most attention, but there seems to be no jealousy between the programs. What does exist is a healthy competitiveness that helps offset the pressure of expectations.
“It’s pretty fun. We get on each other a lot, back and forth,” senior post Derek Roberts said. “There have been a couple of times we’ve pulled a prank, but they get us back. Every game we want to do as good or better than they do. They’ve beaten teams by a lot this year, so they’re winning that one, I guess.”
The Lady Trojans scored 101 points Tuesday against rival Trion, leaving the boys shaking their heads.
“We like to brag that we’re better than they are,” senior guard Grayson Chambers said with a laugh. “After they put up 101 the other night, we felt like we wanted to do better. Seriously, with both teams being the front-runners in the region, there is a mutual understanding between us about what we’re going through. I think that helps both teams.”