Morgan County basketball sports a winning 6-5 record after Tuesday’s 54-38 victory over Class 5A Lanier.
It was a much-needed win for the Dogs, who have been battling through adversity early this year.
Morgan County coach Cody Anderson and his players are frustrated. They have dealt with injuries, ejections from games, and not performing up to their standard. However, Anderson and the Dogs have high hopes of turning things around quickly before region play starts next month.
Despite the setbacks, Anderson said he has seen his team grow. He just wants them to continue improving.
“The big thing is just putting things into perspective,” Anderson said. “What are our [team] goals? Where are we trying to go? And then it’s all about understanding, which is hard for young people. It’s also hard for me. Growth is not always linear. It’s not always a straight line or going up.”
Anderson said this group is connected and doesn’t give up. The team’s resilience has shown this year.
Last week, Morgan County came back to defeat Josey 50-49 on the road with some clutch plays at the end.
The Eagles led 37-31 going into the fourth quarter before Morgan County outscored them 19-12 to win. Senior Jaylen Elder scored a team-high 19 points, while junior Jacoby Simmons added 15 points.
“You thought you’d be further along, but at the same time, this is part of our journey,” Anderson said. “Our schedule this year has been challenging. We’ve yet to lose a game that we shouldn’t have.”
Anderson hopes his players can continue to battle through their adversity. He said he believes in this group. The team has had veterans such as Elder, Simmons, and junior Zeki Locus step up and lead.
Anderson also hopes senior Christian Monfort and a few others can return from injury. He remains optimistic about getting his team 100 percent healthy before Region 2-2A play begins on Jan. 3.
The Dogs have a good shot at winning a region championship. They just need to play with a more sense of urgency, which their third-year head coach stresses.
“Your effort, your connection, your composure, your attitude, your urgency, you can 100 percent control that,” Anderson said. “So, I’m excited. I love our group. We’re still young, though. We’re playing a lot of kids. We’re going to return most of these guys next year. That will benefit us.”