As sweet as last year’s unbeaten run through the region on the way to a region title was for the Lady Greyhounds, the end of the season had its taste of bitterness, as well.
A 27-win season came to a premature end in the second round of the state tournament in a 57-40 loss to Northview on the Lady Greyhounds’ home floor. That loss hasn’t been forgotten by a Lady Hounds team that returns all but one starter from a season ago.
“They hear it every day. I can tell you the score, 40-57,” Lady Greyhounds head coach Takeo Gray said. “We were supposed to be a final four or championship team, and it got cut short at home.”
Last year’s team went through the region schedule and region tournament unscathed and has its eyes on doing so again. Jones County has mostly the same lineup minus last year’s leading scorer and rebounder, Mya Anderson, penciled in to start this year at LaGrange College.
But there are multiple reasons for the Lady Greyhounds to be upbeat. Five or so, to be exact.
Kamiyah Adams, who averaged 13 points per game last season, is primed to be one of the frontcourt leaders along with Desirae Dumas. The returning power hardly stops there. Senior guard Aubrey Norris is back after averaging nine points a game last season alongside Destinee Dumas and Autumn Coleman to go with the experience of Liberty Pennamon.
Losing a player of Anderson’s caliber is a challenge, but it’s one that Gray says that the Lady Hounds are embracing.
“That’s what we’re challenging them with. Mya is gone and starting at guard at LaGrange College,” Gray said. “Now, the message is to carry the torch and have a tradition. They love Mya, but they welcome the challenge.”
Part of meeting said challenge for the Lady Greyhounds?
Execution — something that ties in directly to repeating as region champions and making a deep run into the postseason.
“If we want to make a deep run, we have to execute every day,” Gray said. “We have team goals, and how well we execute will help us get to where we want.”
Among those in-game goals? Taking care of the basketball.
“We want to have 12 or less turnovers per game,” Gray said. “When we execute, we solve that problem.”
With a 10-team region, the Lady Greyhounds don’t have many non-region contests prior to region play beginning on Dec. 2 against McDonough.
JCHS took on Warner Robins Nov. 18 and plays Lee County in the HypeSouth Invitational Nov. 22. The latter parts of the season also call for home-and-homes with Josey and Putnam County, making every non-region foe one that is ranked.
That includes Putnam County, a matchup that due to proximity breeds intensity.
“Putnam has always been a rival. Everyone knows each other and has family in both counties, so it’s personal,” Gray said. “Hopefully, it’ll be a fun rivalry for years to come.”
