Jefferson thrives on an up-tempo game on the hardwood and hopes to be sprinting up and down the court again in 2010-2011.
Despite the loss of five seniors and the top two scoring options off last year’s Final Four team, the area basketball powerhouse should be able to play its usual fast-paced brand of basketball based on what longtime coach Bolling DuBose has seen during summer ball.
“I certainly think we’ve go the talent to run that system again,” said DuBose, who enters his 35th season at Jefferson.
The Dragons, who went 25-7 last year, claimed the Region 8-AA title and won 18 consecutive games before losing in the Final Four, have played 24 summer scrimmage games as they prepare for the 2010-2011 season.
DuBose has used these summer exhibitions to help him sort out his possible 10-deep rotation come this winter. The veteran coach feels the Dragons have the personnel to run the floor but are skilled enough from the perimeter and in the post to score in half-court sets, too.
“I think we can score from a lot of places,” DuBose said.
DuBose, who said he’s “a big believer in the point guard position,” points to junior Andre Daniel as the leading candidate to fill that vacant spot.
Meanwhile, both senior David Watson and junior Austin Thompson provide good perimeter shooting, while the team looks for a big year out of Tate Chesser, a senior small forward, DuBose said.
A big factor inside is senior power forward Hoytes Damons, who missed a lot of last summer due to injury.
“He’s really progressed this summer,” DuBose said.
DuBose also notes that junior Will Puckett at 6’4” will be a presence on the inside. Then there’s senior Chris Jackson, who DuBose calls the best defender.
The summer has also given sophomore transfer Bryant Shirreffs time to adapt to Jefferson’s system. Shirreffs, who played for Athens Academy last year, could play up to three different positions for the Dragons depending what kind of lineup DuBose wants on the floor.
“We do have versatility with this group,” DuBose said.
More than anything, the summer session is especially important for Jefferson because half of its roster plays football and is still in helmets and pads when the basketball preseason arrives.
That makes the summer the preseason essentially.
“The summer stuff we do is really important to get them the work they need for next year,” DuBose said, referring to the 2010-2011 campaign.
