Morgan County kicked off league competition Jan. 9, hosting Westside of Macon.
The Lady Dogs fell short, however, losing 51-45 to the Lady Seminoles. Despite the loss, Morgan County head coach Milfred Franklin said he was happy with his team’s effort and believes the season is heading in the right direction.
“I’ve seen a lot of individual growth with some of my players, which is very good,” Franklin said. “At this point in the season, I am very pleased with our tenacity and our grit to really fight through situations, and our defense has improved tremendously.”
When the 2025-26 season kicked off, Franklin anticipated seeing the team grow efficiently in both rebounds and ball pressure. Two months into the season, he said he sees substantial improvement in pressing opponents, but would like to see his players improve on the glass.
Franklin also said the team is beginning to look more “balanced” in scoring opportunities, rather than relying on a few select players.
Cydney Burke, Miracle Ward, and Chloe Thompson are among those on the roster who have emerged as leaders after multiple seniors graduated last May. Franklin said the team is also getting contributions from Addisyn Freeman and Madison Holcomb.
“[Our team leaders have] developed by having to be more accountable for themselves and helping their teammates along or getting them up to speed,” the coach said. “When it comes down to giving directions or showing them or encouraging them, those are some of the ways that they have helped or have improved as leaders.”
Burke currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game entering this week. Thompson leads the Lady Dogs by shooting 33% from the field, and Ward has a team-high 37 assists.
Against Westside, the Lady Dogs almost completed a fourth-quarter comeback. Franklin said he believes his girls played more efficiently in the second half, but ultimately burned out toward the end.
“I think we fought so hard and didn’t have enough energy to really just finish off [with a victory],” he said. “We expelled too many mistakes on the defensive end by trying to stop them or trying to create turnovers; then when we got opportunities to finish, it seems like we just didn’t have enough gas.”
Going forward, Franklin said it will be vital for his players to maintain a positive mentality. He noted that putting the loss behind them is a crucial step to success for the rest of the season.
“When you lose games where you show poorly or know that you were the better team, the next game will determine the drive you have to play better,” Franklin said. “So, we are going to have that type of mentality that says, ‘We messed up a game, and we’re not going to let that happen again.’”