Strong ready for regional champs
For the first time since 2018, Strong is in the state tournament.
Now they are hoping their stay will be longer than their last appearance.
The Bulldogs (8-8), the No. 4 seed from the 4-1A after topping Blevins and falling to Nevada and Bradley, takes on one of the hottest teams in the state in Viola (33-6), the 2-1A regional champions who have won seven straight with only one of their wins during that stretch being in single digits.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. from West Side Greers Ferry.
“They're good. Of course, being in the state tournament, you're going to get that recognition,” Strong coach Champ Watson said of the Longhorns. “They're very disciplined. They're good defensively, and they have some shooters as well.”
Watson said the Bulldogs must find a way to handle the Longhorns' defense.
“Defensively, they get after you,” Watson said. “They're going to come at you with a 1-2-2 halfcourt trap and they mix it with a 2-3 matchup as well.
“They're very good at anticipating the long pass across the court and those kind of things. They try to set you up with the ballhandler going to the corner when they cross right there at halfcourt.”
Watson said his guards will have to step to the forefront and take
care of the basketball.
“It’s not Emauri (Newton), it’s going to be all of the guards. LaQuincy Shelton, Byron Maze, Derrian Thomas when he come in, they’ve got to be ready mentally, physically, emotionally and especially athletically,” Watson said.
Senior guard Gage Harris, who scored 19 points in the Longhorns’ 66-38 win over West Side Greers Ferry in the regional final, leads Viola’s balanced attack.
The Longhorns won 29 games last year, but were eliminated in the first round of the state tournament by Wonderview.
After losing four games in a seven-game stretch by a combined 12 points spanning the end of January into the first week of February, the Longhorns have dismantled foes with ease during their seven-game winning streak with their 54-48 win over Izard County in the regional semifinals being their toughest test.
Strong counters with senior guard Emauri Newton, who was in double figures in all three games in the regional tournament, including 17 points in Thursday’s win over Blevins that clinched the Bulldogs’ spot in the state tournament.
Although the Bulldogs lost their last two games in the regional, Watson said his team is ready.
“Our team is feeling very well, great emotionally,” Watson said. “I just need to get them ready and make sure we’re ready mentally and athletically. At the end of the day, they have achieved their goal. This group that I have has never been to the state tournament.
“The only one was Emauri, and he was a ninth-grader, so he really didn’t get a whole lot of touches. No one else has even been to a state tournament, so it’s new to them, but they achieved their goal. We’re going to go in and try to further that stay and go deeper in the tournament. That’s our goal. Just to play, compete and see how it goes.”
The Bulldogs were unable to improve their seeding after topping Blevins, and while Watson said there was room for improvement, he was pleased with his team’s effort.
“We could’ve done better in a lot of certain areas, but we accomplished our goal,” Watson said. “Now we’ve got to go from here to still stay in the tournament.
“I’m very proud of my kids. We got the third seed going in.
“That was a goal as well. It’s panned out for us, and I’m real happy for them. I think this is my best team overall since I’ve been here. Everybody is together.
“These guys play together, and it’s been real refreshing to see these kids come together. They hang out together when they aren’t in school, and it’s paid off for us.”
The Bulldogs will be playing for the fourth time in six days, but after their three-week sprint to play the remainder of their conference schedule, Watson said that will not bother his team.
“No because we’ve done that NBA-type schedule before,” Watson said. “At this point, you just have to suit up and lets go. No excuses. We’ve just got to go get it.”
The Bulldogs were ousted in the first round of the state tournament in their last appearance back in 2018, and when asked what he was expecting from his team against the Longhorns, Watson said there were two things.
“Leave everything on the floor. Give everything you have,” Watson said.