Staff Photo by Angela Lewis/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Howard plays Hixson at Howard School of Academics and Technology on Thursday evening.After graduating most of his key players two seasons ago, Hixson boys’ basketball coach Alex Disbrow knew his Wildcats were going to take some lumps in their first season in District 6-AA last year.
This season, they’re trying to dish some out.
The 11-4 Wildcats are one of a handful of surprise teams around the area thus far. Hixson owns victories over Arts & Sciences and Georgia Class AAA 10th-ranked LaFayette, and the Wildcats played admirably in a 63-60 overtime league loss to Howard last week.
McMinn County (12-5, 5-0) is atop the District 5-AAA race, while in Georgia, Murray County is 14-1 after going 8-17 last year. With 10 seniors led by Taylor Patterson — also the quarterback on the football team — Murray’s Indians are ranked eighth in Class AAA and own two victories over Dalton.
Hixson sports six seniors as well as talented 6-foot-5 sophomore post D’Monta Smith. He and 6-4 senior Randy Boyd have led the team offensively.