Playing within a 10-team region, there are few windows of opportunity for warm-up games for the Greyhounds and Lady Greyhounds. Both teams have just two contests prior to the start of region play on Dec. 2 against McDonough.
After both teams open the regular season Thursday at Warner Robins, both have Saturday contests, the Lady Hounds against Lee County in the HypeSouth Invitational and the Greyhounds hosting Kendrick the same day.
But if there is such of thing as a trial run, both teams will have it this Thursday when both host Westside Macon for a preseason scrimmage. Both of Westside’s teams reached the second round of last year’s state tournament.
No, the records won’t count in this one, but the intensity being sought for both teams will.
Lady Greyhounds head coach Takeo Gray is plenty familiar with the Seminoles, having been an assistant there before taking over as Jones County’s girls head coach last season.
For the Lady Greyhounds, a team coming off a region title and secondround postseason berth, the goal early in the season plays into one of their overall goals.
“I feel really good about where we are at this point,” Gray said. “Right now, it’s all about execution. Preseason is one thing, but if we want to make a deep run, it’s all about execution offensively and defensively.”
Thursday will precede a brief, albeit challenging, non-region runway for the Lady Greyhounds. Lee County and Warner Robins were both Round of 16 teams last season.
“We have team goals, so we want to prove to ourselves and what we can do,” Gray said. “We want to be efficient and have 12 or fewer turnovers per game.
If we can execute, we’ll be successful.”
For the Greyhounds under head coach Dylan Dupree, Thursday stands as a chance to compete against someone different, putting the preseason growth so far to the test.
“I’m excited, we have a ton of energy, and I think we’ll be an exciting and athletic team,” Dupree said. “We’re not in midseason form by any means, but we’re starting to get there. We’re starting to find our voice.”
