Maroons re-load with new starters and new coach

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

A new head coach takes over the George Wythe varsity basketball team. Although this is Joey Russell’s first year at the helm, he is very familiar with George Wythe basketball.
Russell has been the varsity assistant coach for the past five or six years. Before that he was the JV basketball coach for five years and prior to that he coached the ninth grade team for three years.
Last year the Maroons won the Group A, Division 2, state championship. The top seven players, including the starting five, all graduated from that team, however. While that might appear to be discouraging to most coaches, Russell feels that this year’s team has a lot of potential.
“We have a saying here at George Wythe,” he said. “We don’t rebuild, we just re-load.”
And that very likely applies to this year’s squad. Even though no starters return, several players are back who had lots of playing time due to many of GW’s victories being so one-sided.
Russell said the road to the state title the team took last year will help the players’ overall confidence this season. And it also exposed them to other quality teams from throughout the state. “Everybody coming back knows what it takes to get there,” said Russell.
And the coach learned a lot from last season and the previous seasons. He said he is appreciative of what he has learned over the years from long-time GW Coach Al Copenhaver. And also from GW girls’ basketball coach Arthur Johnson and former GW junior varsity coach Larry Russell (who is now the football coach at Chilhowie High School).
“Over the years I’ve learned a tremendous amount from them,” said Russell.
The coach didn’t have his entire team at the beginning of winter practice due to the GW football team advancing to the regionals, but he said they’re making the transition very well. “As of today, the 14 players out there have exceeded my expectations for hustle and desire to be the best they can be.”
Russell said one of his tasks is to “try to get the football legs into basketball shape.” Also, “they’ve got to learn what I expect from them. We’ve got a lot more conditioning to go.”
Russell said the Maroons will continue to be a running team with full court pressure defense. The defense will mostly be man-to-man but indicated that he could experiment with a zone defense at times. He thinks the team will have good quickness.
The coach was hesitant to list his probable starters due to not having that much practice time prior to picture day earlier this week. He did note some of his top returning scorers. Junior Tristan Boysaw averaged about eight points per game last year. There are four players who scored about five per game last year: seniors Brett Grimes and Will Sawyers and juniors Drew Lester and Kenneth Waugh.
Russell said he expects the toughest competition in the district to come from Chilhowie with Holston and Northwood also having good teams.
He said his team’s goal is to be competitive in the district and competitive in the region. “We want to return to state, but we’re going to take it game by game…As a coaching staff, it is our job to bring out the work ethic and desire to get there…I’m excited (about the season), and the boys are excited.”
Here is the 2008-09 George Wythe basketball schedule:
Date Opponent Site
Dec. 5 Fort Chiswell Home
Dec. 8 Giles Home
Dec. 10 Galax Home
Dec. 12 Pulaski Away
Dec. 15 Pulaski Home
Dec. 19 Fort Chiswell Away
Dec. 26-29 tourney Ft. Chiswell
Jan. 3 tourney Floyd
Jan. 6 Rural Retreat Home
Jan. 9 Holston Away
Jan. 13 Chilhowie Away
Jan. 16 Northwood Home
Jan. 19 Marion Away
Jan. 20 Pat. Henry Home
Jan. 23 Rural Retreat Away
Jan. 27 Holston Home
Jan. 28 Marion Home
Jan. 30 Chilhowie Home
Feb. 3 Northwood Away
Feb. 6 Pat. Henry Away