Setting the bar high

Straughn hopes to return to winning ways this season

By Andrew Garner (Contact) | Andalusia Star-News

Published Monday, November 2, 2009

Straughn boys basketball coach Todd Reynolds hopes his team can return to its winning ways as the Tigers prepare to start their 2009-10 season.

This will be the start of Reynolds’ third year as the Tigers’ varsity basketball coach.

In the 2007-2008 season, Reynolds helped lead his team to a 24-6 record. Last season, his team won only 11 games.

This year, Reynolds feels his team can return to the success Straughn had two seasons ago.

“It’s going to be an exciting year,” he said.

The Tigers will start five players this season: Chris Huggins, C.J. Christopher, Caleb Cochran, Daniel Bonds and Austin Pickrel.

“That is just a potential starting line-up,” Reynolds said. “I’m going to potentially go 12 deep this season. You’ve got 12 participants, not five players and three scrubs.

“Every one of them will have a value that if they maximize that value and minimalize their deficiencies, they can be an asset at any given game.”

Reynolds said the goal after the football season is over is to keep those players “healthy.”

“The key thing is keeping players healthy from football because they are probably going to be making a deep run in the playoffs,” he said. “We hope they can stay healthy to make it to basketball. As long as we stay healthy, it could be a surprisingly good year for us.”

This season, Straughn will compete in Class 3A, Area 3, play with Calhoun, Central-Hayneville and Luverne.

“Last year was a tough year for us because we had some injured players right off the bat and we played some tough teams,” Reynolds said. “I have as many or more seniors returning this year. From that dynamic, you think, ‘Hey, you’ve got a chance to be good,’ but there are so many things that have got to come together.

“Players have to buy into your system and you’ve got to stay injury free, however tough the area is,” he said. “The players should know the system by now. If I can get the grit out of them regardless, we’re going to play some tough defense.”

Reynolds added that the team will be “throwing everything they have” at teams they face this year.

“We’re going to be working on improving in areas that cost us last year, like interior play, free throws and shot selection,” he said. “We’re going to try and not let those things beat us this year. We gave up 52 points per game last year and scored 50 points per game.

“Consistency is what we’re looking for this year. We’re going to do everything and our defense is going to be tailored to whom we’re playing. We’re going to throw everything and the kitchen sink at you.”

Straughn will start its season on Nov. 20 when the Tigers will host Red Level.