December II, 2019
By Ridlard Dumas
torsyth@mymcr.net
One year after suffering
through what is believed to
be the only winless carn-
paign in Mary Persons girls
basketball history in 2018- 19,
the Lady Dogs are looking for
a more enjoyable season in
2019-20.
Led by third-year head
coach Lamon McElhaney,
MP, 2—5 overall (0-2 in
Region 2-AAAA), won
two of its first three games
in 2019—20, beating Taylor
County and Tattnall Square
last month. McElhaney said
the team’s lone goal this year
was to win one game, so he
was pleasantly surprised by
the fast start.
“Coming from where we
came from, I think it’s a good
feeling for the program as
a_ whole,” McElhaney said
of the early season success.
“Because last year was tough.
We not only lost, but we were
getting hammered almost ev-
ery game. One game we lost
by single digits. One game we
lost by 13. Every other game
was like 25 or more. So it was
good. But it was a teachable
moment for them (MP play-
ers) in both of the wins that
we’ve had because we didn’t
finish either game well. But
that came from not winning.
So if you don’t win, you don’t
know how to win. So they’ve
got to learn stuff like that.
Not only was it good for the
older girls, it was really good
for the younger girls because
they’re going to be the ones
that can keep this thing going
and maybe we can win six or
seven games, or maybe eight
or nine, I don’t know. The
process has to start some-
where, and I’m just glad it’s
started.”
McElhaney said he could
sense a renewed energy from
his team over the summer
that has carried into the regu-
lar season.
“I’m happy with the pro-
gram as a whole, with the
girls as a whole, and with the
progress they’re making,”
McElhaney said. “It’s the level
of excitement‘and energy.
They seem to be having fun,
not just playing basketball,
but they seem to be having
fun with each other.”
Although they’re not
playing big varsity minutes
yet, McElhaney credits his
three varsity freshmen, Miah
Barkley, Kate McAteer and
Jamiya Zellner, with bring-
ing a youthful spirit that has
permeated his entire squad
“They bring a different vibe,
a different feel, a different
energy,” McElhaney said. “It’s
that youth and a whole lot of
fight that we didn’t necessar-
ily have last year. But I can see
it throughout this year.”
McElhaney will rely on five
varsity returners in the start—
ing lineup. Senior and four-
year starter Taylor Buflington,
who tore her anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) late last sea-
son, opened the season as the .
We are
Bquogs!
Dad, Mam, _»
Abbie and Ford
team’s starting point guard
However, Buffington report-
edly left the program over the
weekend, leaving a void in
the backcourt. Also starting
in MP’s three-guard lineup
is another senior, shooting
guard Tysheeka Hart, and
junior shooting guard I’Mya
Mann. McElhaney said he’s
counting on Mann to give
him double figure scoring
nights this season.
Starting for MP at power
forward is another senior and
four-year player, Katelyn Wil-
son, who excels at rebound-
ing and other hustle plays.
McElhaney said of Wilson:
“I know what I’m going to
get from her every time she’s
out there. She fouled out of
the game the other day for
the first time in a while, but
that’s her. She’s going to play
fast. She probably ain’t always
going to be right, but I don’t
have to worry about her giv—
ing everything she’s got on
offense, defense, transition.”
At center, MP will turn to
sophomore Tatiyanna Brown,
whom McElhaney said he
will feature on offense in the
post more this season than a
amfiorter
Lady Dogs pursue path to sustained success
year ago.
“We’ve been forcing and
stressing and almost de-
manding to try to go a little
old school, work it inside-
out,” McElhaney said. “Be-
cause we haven’t been very
’ good we’ve got to find ways
to slow the game down. And
one way to slow it down is to
get it inside. That’ll take a few
seconds off, and maybe we’ll
get an easy basket, maybe
we’ll get a foul. Find ways to
have everybody contribute in
our offense.”
Providing needed depth off
the bench is senior shoot-
ing guard Precious Gaines,
sophomore wing Kenia
Thomas and junior center
Taylor Shortt. McElhaney
said the biggest thing for all of
his players is to find multiple
things they can excel at doing
on the floor.
“Every game ain’t going to
be great when you’re shoot-
ing the ball,” McElhaney said
But I’ve got to get everyone
to understand when it ain’t
working, ‘C’mon now. It’s still
defense. It’s still rebounding.
You can set good screens. You
can hustle.’ I’ve got to get the
girls to understand you’ve
got more than one role, more
than one job.”
McElhaney said last year’s
AAAA state runner-up
Spalding and last year’s
Region 2-AAAA runner-
up West Laurens are again
expected to be the top teams
in the region, and they’ve al—
ready dealt MP big setbacks.
MP fell 60-36 at Spalding in
its region opener on Tues-
day, Dec. 3. The Lady Dogs
were then throttled 66-21 at
home by the Lady Raiders on
Friday. McElhaney said for
MP to get its first region win
since 2017-18, the Lady Dogs
will likely need a much better
than normal shooting night.
He said, “Two years ago
we won a region game. We
surprised and beat Perry, a
team that made the playoffs.
So I mean that was huge. I
think we scored 56 points
that night, and we hadn’t
' scored 50 all year. So it might
take one of those games.”
With MP having suffered a
fourth straight loss, 48-24 at
non-region FPD on Satur-
day, that has put a damper
on its early-season success,
MP JV Basketball Schedule
DATE
Dec. 13
Dec. 14
Dec. 16
Dec. 18
Dec.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jackson
Griffin
Hampton
Westside
Upson-Lee
Perry
Howard
Spalding
Howard
Upson-Lee
Jackson
Perry
Griffin
OPPONENT
Tattnall Square
Stockbridge
Taylor County
West Laurens
LOCATION
Away
Home
Home
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Home
Home
Away
Home
Away
TIME
(3-3245 p.m., B-4:45 p.m.
B-4:30 p.m.
B-6z45 pm.
3-7 pm.
G'4t30 p.m.
G-3z30 p.m., B—4:45 p.m.
6-11 am, B-12:15 p.m.
G-4zl5 pm.
8-4115 p.m.
G-4z30 p.m.
B-4:15 p.m.
G—4:30 p.m.
B-6z45 p.m.
G-3z30 p.m., B-4:45 p.m.
B-4z30 p.m.
G-4zl5 p.m.
B-6:45 p.m.
MP Varsity Basketball Schedule
DATE
Dec. 13
Dec. l4
Dec. 20-21
Dec. 27-30
Jan. 3
Jan.
Jan.
Jan. 10
Jan. 14
Jan. 17
Jan. 2T
Jan. 24
Jan. 25
Jan. 28
Jan. 3T
Feb. 3—7
Feb. l4-15
Feb. 19-20
Feb. 25-26
Feb. 29
Mar. 4-7
Jackson
Westside
Perry’
Howard'
Spalding’
Jackson
Perry’
OPPONENT
Tattnall Square
Upson-Lee’
West Laurens’
Upson-Lee’
Howardt '
Region 2-AAAA Tourney
TBD (1 st Round State)
TBD (2nd Round State)
TBD (Quarterfinals State) TBD
TBD (Semifinals State)
TBD (Finals State)
LOCATION
Away
Home
War Eagle Holiday (Boys) Woodward
MP Holiday Classic
Taylor County
MP
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Away
Home
Away
Home
Home
Howard
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
’ Denotes Region 2-AAAA contest
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TIME
G-b p.m., B-7:3O p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7z30 p.m.
TBA
TBA
G-é p.m., B-7:3O p.m.
(3-2 p.m., B-3z30 p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7z30 p.m.
G-6 p.m., B-7i30 p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7z30 p.m.
G-é p.m., 3—7230 p.m.
(3-6 p.m., B-7z30 p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7:30 p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7:30 p.m.
G-é p.m., B-7:30 p.m.
G-b p.m., B-7:30 p.m.
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
McElhaney said he’s going to
be realistic about his team’s
chances this year.
“The goal was to win more
than we did last year, and
we’ve already done that.” he
said. “And now the next goal
is to win more than we did
the year before, which was
three games. We’ve just got
to try to get four. Ifwe can,
get four, the goal is going to
always change. But it’s kind of
hard to set a bar because it’s
going to be tough coaching,
it’s going to be tough playing
when we haven’t been in a lot
of situations to win games. So
it’s going to be tough to kind
of set a bar. But I’d love to win
more games than we have.”
The Lady Dogs were next
scheduled to host non-region
Page SB
Northeast (Macon) at 6 pm.
on Tuesday, Dec. 10. MP will
then travel to non-region
Tattnall Square to face the
Lady Trojans in a rematch
at 6 pm. on Friday before
returning home to host non-
region rival Jackson at 6 pm.
on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the IV Lady
Dogs were slated to host
Northeast (Macon) at 4:15
pm. on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The MP W will then travel
to Tattnall Square for a road
contest at 3:45 pm. on Friday.
Also, the Monroe County
Middle School girls basketball
team will next host Clifton
Ridge at 5 pm. on Thursday
The C-Team Lady Dogs will
then host Gray Station at 5
pm. on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
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