Trotwood opens delayed season with win
Like everyhigh schoolgym this season, there were face coverings, limited spectators and socially-distanced team areas Saturday afternoon at ThurgoodMarshall.Butforthe firsttimeduringthisCOVID-interrupted season therewas a basketball game in Dayton.
Trotwood-Madison made the short drive to also play its firstgame. TheRams, Cougars and the rest of the DaytonPublicSchoolsteamshave been practicing off and on since the first of November, waiting for their districts to lift the lid on the season.
“We’re really excited to be able to play and stop scrimmaging ourselves and practice, practice, practice,” Trotwood coachRockyRockhold said.“Youneedthatliveaction to see where you’re at.”
Trotwood’s talentwas evident despite some rust on its shooting and defensive rotations in a 102-56 victory over a young and rebuildingMarshall team under first-year head coach Antheny Petty.
Basketballwasn’t the only thing back. Trotwood senior AnthonyMcComb was back in theMarshallgymwherehe playedthepastthreeyears. He scoredagame-high20points.
“It’s been rough waiting, but I’mjust blessed we were able to play,” McComb said. “It was somuch fun today.”
McComb has played with some of his new teammates during thesummerAAUseason. So the biggest learning curve for him is Trotwood’s relentless full-court fast pace on offense and defense.
“He forced some stuff because he’s justunsure right now,” Rockhold said. “Once hegetscomfortablehe’sgoing tobeOK. I thinkhewaspressing a little bit today too coming back to his old school.”
Trotwood will play a 15-game schedule and has a new look this year with McComband returning players fillingnewroles. McComb and senior point guard Carter Mims will be counted on to score and lead.
“Anthony’s a guy that’s going to have to play well for us to do well,” Rockhold said.“He’s coming along and learning that the pace that we play is just different than what he’s used to. It doesn’t mean that they played a bad pace. They played the way they like to play, and ours is different.”
Mims scored 12 points, freshman starter Timothy Carpenter scored 15 and Tymier Blanton, Sellers LittleandCourtneyBlakescored 11 apiece.
“We’ve got some things to work on, butweplayed good for themostpart,” Mimssaid. “We’ve just got tofixupsome defense and get back in the gym.”
Petty, who had success coachingatEdwinJoelBrown Middle School, took over the Cougars thisyear afterShawn McCullough left to become head coach at Springfield. WhenMcCullough left so did the Cougars’ three best players. In addition to McComb at Trotwood, Prophet Johnson is playing atWayne and Mekhi Elmore is at Cincinnati Taft.
“Itwasgoodtogetthegame in and a greatway to start the season against a great opponentandseewhere yourprogram is at,” Petty said.
OnlytwoCougars returned from last year’s successful team. Petty started a senior, three juniors and 6-foot-6 freshman Markece Young. Juniors Ronald Smith IV and Greg Pooler scored 15 and 13 points, respectively, to lead the Cougars.
TheCougars arescheduled to play 12 games and will host Dunbar on Tuesday.