For long-time Apalachee High School boys basketball coach Kevin Morris, the first part of the 2010-2011 season has been about patience as much as anything.
Morris, who has seen plenty of memorable moments during his time leading the Wildcat program, is having to guide perhaps his youngest squad ever. Predictably, that youth has experienced some growing pains along the way and the end result, at least to this point, has been tough on occasion.
Still Morris has been in the game long enough to know that working with a young squad is a step-by-step process. In the long run, the AHS coach believes good things await the program. It all goes back to that key word of patience.
“One of the things we are working on is to play a little harder,” Morris said. “We want to do things the right way. As a junior varsity coach, your No. 1 goal is to teach them to play hard. The age of our team is a junior varsity squad. We are hoping to become more consistent for a longer amount of time. We need to be tougher physically and mentally.”
During the Wingslinger Holiday Bash hosted by East Jackson High School last week, the Wildcats showed glimpses of that needed improvement and toughness Morris is seeking. In the game for seventh place, AHS fell to Lanier 50-43, trailing by just five points late in the contest.
The Wildcats also dropped a 65-33 contest to Archer in their second tournament contest.
“We’ve been in every game for the most part,” Morris said. “Our mental focus gets weak at the end of games and we sometimes lose by 25-30 points after the game has been 7-8 points throughout. Many times we are even leading after the first quarter.”
One thing the coach would like to see is a complete 32-minute performance from his team.
“It comes with being able to focus in practice for a little longer,” Morris said. “If your attention span in practice gets longer then your attention span in games will get longer.”
AHS will travel to Winder-Barrow High School Friday for an 8:30 p.m. contest as the season’s second half begins in full.
