Season preview: Lady Canes, Purple Hurricanes launch 2018-19 campaigns
The Cartersville girls basketball team opened the 2018-19 season Monday night with a come-from-behind victory over host Armuchee and will be in action again Tuesday at the Armuchee Thanksgiving Tournament.
Meanwhile, the Cartersville boys crank up their 2018-19 campaign Tuesday and Wednesday at the North Murray High School Turkey Jam in Chatsworth. The Canes will play Northwest Whitfield Tuesday and host North Murray Wednesday night.
The Cartersville teams will once again compete in the always challenging Region 5-AAAA that includes Cedartown, Central-Carroll, LaGrange, Sandy Creek, and Chapel Hill.
The girls will play non-region contests against Armuchee, Adairsville, Calhoun, Woodland, North Paulding, and Chattooga.
The Hurricanes will have Calhoun, Woodland, Chattooga, White County, and Furtah Prep on their non-region slate.
The Lady Canes will look to take a step forward from their 8-16 record last season. The Cartersville girls were 2-10 in region play.
The Cartersville boys will look to extend their current streak of seven straight state playoff appearances. The Hurricanes were co-region regular season champions with Sandy Creek last season, won the Rome Holiday Tournament, and went undefeated at home.
CARTERSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL LADY CANES
Head Coach: Cindy Moore
Assistants: Emerson Bridges, Bonnie Britton, D’Yazmine Richards
Returning starters:
Amya Davis (Sr.), Ariana Cochran (Jr.), and London Shaw (Sr.)
Expected contributors: (comment by Coach Moore)
Naijiah Evans (Jr.) - “high expectations, she will be a contributing factor for this team.”
Emily Perry (Sr.) and Jada Cunningham (Jr.) - “the other upperclassmen expected to contribute.” “We will have a host of freshmen and sophomores that are ready to make an impact.”
Season goals / expectations from Coach Moore:
“Our goal is to play consistent basketball and improve each week.”
CARTERSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL PURPLE HURRICANES
Head Coach: Mike Tobin (495-195, 26 seasons at Cartersville, Woodland, Eden Prarie (MN)
Last Season: 21-7 overall / 10-2 Region 5-AAAA
Players with commentary from Coach Tobin:
Issac Gridley: 6’7” Sr – Honorable Mention All Region last season. Set school record for blocked shots last season. Got much stronger in the weight room the past off-season. Excellent shooter and ball handler. Started 2016 & 2018 Region Championship game. Can score inside and outside. School record 85 blocked shots last season.
Perignon Dyer: 5’8” Sr Guard. Explosive guard. Has improved tremendously. Excellent perimeter shooter and penetrator.
Taywuan Johnson : 6’1” Sr. G: Has improved tremendously over the past two seasons. Best floater on the team.
Marqual Coaxum: 5’11 Jr. G: Excellent speed and great defender. Penetrates well. Competitor. 2 sport athlete
Micah Tart: 5’11” Jr: 2 yr varsity award winner. Great first step. Has improved tremendously from last season.
Marco Dudley: 5’11” Jr: Brought up to varsity last season. 2 sport athlete. Possibly the best defender on the squad.
Austin Cauffman: 6’2” Sr.: Played Varsity last year. Brings energy and high enthusiasm to team. Works extremely hard.
Top Newcomers:
Raylin Royal: 5’8” Sr. Guard: Ultra quick. Outstanding at putting defense pressure on the ball.
Robert Novak: 6’2” Soph. High basketball IQ.
Amarai Orr: 6’2” Soph. 2 sport athlete. Had a great summer. Intense offensive rebounder. Competes at a very high level.
Kolbe Benham: 6’2” Soph. 2 sport athlete
Evan Slocum: 6’2 Soph. 2 sport athlete
Quante Jennings: 6’0” Soph. 2 sport athlete
Devonte Ross: 5’10” Soph. 2 sport athlete
Tyriek Hammock: 6’6” Soph.
Coach Tobin’s comments about 2018-19 team, including season outlook:
We put in a good summer of work competing against some of the best teams in the State. We feel like we have improved greatly from the end of May to the present day. Players are getting stronger in weight training and preseason conditioning. Many players were very dedicated and committed in an attempt to improve individual and team skills. We will have good team speed, and some very good perimeter shooting to hopefully stretch out opposing defenses. There is a high probability that we will play our first several games without our players that play football. We are looking forward to get many players off the football team hopefully after they win the State Championship. We are looking forward to playing in two regular season tournaments, and a very challenging Region schedule.
Comments on Region 5AAAA: The Region is shaping up to be very competitive. Sandy Creek is loaded with 6’8” TJ Bickerstaff leading their team. Troup has an abundance of talent.
