David W. Healy
dhealy@ddtonline.com
The green paint still smells fresh in the renovated O’Bannon High School locker rooms. The refurbished basketball court sparkles as Greenwave players dribble the ball up and down the court.
The new season for the O’Bannon High School boys and girls basketball teams is less than a week away, and the attitude of the players and coaches is as optimisitic their gleaming new surroundings.
Isaac Morris, the new girls head basketball coach at O’Bannon, believes his team has the capability of surprising a lot of teams this season.
“The best thing about this team is we have players who have not just the ability to get better but also the desire to get better,” Morris said. “There is talent here. It may be young talent, but there is talent here. I was a little worried that the cupboard would be bare, but there is definitely some talent.”
Kornisha Smith is the lone senior on this year’s Greenwave team, and she said her new coach has taught her teammates a lot already.
“He has showed us what it really means to be committed,” Smith said. “Being committed means never taking a day off. It means showing up everyday and giving your absolute best.”
Coach Morris spent the last few seasons helping rebuild the Coahoma Early College girls basketball team in Clarksdale. Last season, he helped Coahoma Early College win the district tournament.
“What I am trying to do here is develop a winning mentality,” Coach Morris said. “It is OK if they make a mistake as long as they learn from it.
“I believe in setting high expectations. We need to win the games we are supposed to win, and we also need to win some games that we are not supposed to win.”
Coach Carter’s boys ready to run
The O’Bannon boys basketball team may not have the height advantage that it has had in recent years, but head coach Torrione Carter believes his team has a chance to be even more successful.
“We are going to be super uptempo. We are going to play full court pressure defense and we are going to combat our lack of height with speed and quickness,” Coach Carter said.
Along with senior Joshua Curtis and sophomore Donovan Lewis, O’Bannon senior Octavia Wilson will look to lead the Greenwaves run-and-gun style this season.
“The best part about this team is we are going to come hard on defense which is going to set up a lot of scoring opportunities for us on offense,” Wilson said.
Other key contributors on this year’s boys team will be forward Daishaun Scott and freshman Travieon Rhodes.
Coach Carter added that he would like to thank the superintendent, principal and athletic director for refurbishing the gymnasium. “It really means a lot to us,” he said.
