Jackets prepared to make run at sixth straight region title
Team Capsule
The Calhoun boys program has gotten to a point where they no longer rebuild, they just reload.
The Jackets have won five straight region titles under head coach Vince Layson and have been to the state championship game, a Final Four, an Elite Eight and twice to the second round in that time frame. Last year, the Jackets got hot at the end of the season and played their best basketball en route to a berth in the Final Four before falling to Morgan County.
A few key players return from the Final Four team, but the Jackets will have to overcome the loss of key scores and leaders Chapin Rierson and Malik Lawrence as well as starter Rhett Abernathy. Point guard Porter Law, who set the school’s single-season assist record last year, and forwards Davis Allen and Kaylan Aker are expected to shoulder a big portion of the load in production and leadership.
No matter what, Layson and the Jackets know the target is on their back as the team everyone is chasing in 2017-18 to try and dethrone to end the consecutive region title streak.
Recently, the Calhoun Times caught up with Layson to talk about the Final Four run leading to momentum going into this season, the guys that will have to step up to replace Rierson and Lawrence, the tradition the program has built the last few years or region titles and postseasons success, keys for a successful 2017-18 season and the expectations he has for what this year’s group can accomplish.
Here’s what he had to say:
CT:
How much does last season’s run to the Final Four give your team momentum heading into this season, and how much motivation has that given the guys to work hard to try to get back to that point and hopefully beyond it?
It’s always a good thing to see your hard work pay off. We peaked at the right time last season and made a memorable run. However, coming up a little bit short is still a sore subject around the locker room, and we are going to have to work harder than ever to get back to where we were. I’m confident that the returning players will come back hungry and try to surpass last year’s success.
LAYSON: CT:
You are replacing several key guys from last year’s team, including big contributors Chapin Rierson and Malik Lawrence. How tough is it going to be replacing those guys and who are a few that you think are ready to step up as leaders on the court and in the locker room?
Replacing our top two offensive players will definitely be difficult. Chapin and Malik are both next-level players that embodied what we try to do in our program both offensively and defensively. Having Porter Law back is the biggest step in the right direction for our leadership both on and off of the court. He is coming off of a season where he set the single-season record
LAYSON:
Serving Gordon County For Over 50 Years in assists, and we plan for him to pick right back up where he left off. His knowledge and game experience will help us groom some of our younger players into their roles this season. Davis Allen and Kaylan Aker should be one of the stronger front courts we have had in a few years and will help pick up some of the offensive void left by Lawrence and Rierson. Bralin Barton and Chase Goble will also bring a much needed deep threat on the perimeter to help give Allen and Aker some room to work down low.
CT:
Your team has won five straight region titles and have gone deep into the playoffs several times over the past few seasons. How important is it to you and this year’s players to keep that tradition going and how hard are they working to do that?
Our initial goal is and will always be to be the top team in the region. It’s hard to be a force at the state level if you can’t be a force within the region. Winning the region and being highly competitive at the state level is in our DNA. It’s a tradition that has been passed down for the last few years now, and the younger players are eager to compete and put their mark on the program just as the players that came before them.
LAYSON: CT:
What are the keys to your team reaching its full potential and how would you describe the way your team is going to play this season?