.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
By Steve Hunt
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
March 7, 2011
Garland Lakeview Centennial has been here before, Austin that is. In fact, it was just a year ago that Tony Mauldin's team finished as the runner-up in Class 5A. Now the Patriots (36-1) are back in the state capital and this time, they have unfinished business. Later this week, they will face San Antonio Taft in one 5A semifinal for the chance to play for the state title. Lakeview Centennial advanced to state after beating DeSoto 54-50 in the 5A Region II final in Waco on Saturday. The current No. 1 team in 5A, Centennial was led in the second half by Chris Jones, who was an impressive 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the final quarter. Mauldin's team has had the theme of unfinished business all year and now they get their chance to finish what they started in 2010.
Discuss being back in familiar surroundings in Austin.
Well, last year we went on a great run but fell short. We wanted to try to get back down there and take care of business. We kind of break our season into three seasons-preseason, district and playoffs. We talked about being successful in our preseason. We only lost one game. Then, we didn't lose a game in district. In playoffs, we wanted to win all of them and get back to state. We've done that. We've got a big game on Friday.
What do you know about your next opponent, SA Taft?
We've seen some film and talked to some people about them. From what I understand, I have not seen them in person but we had a couple of our coaches go down to that regional tournament to scout them. They're quick. They're athletic. They're a lot like us in that they have four guards and a post player. They're very similar in that they're quick, athletic and get up and down the court. But I think they probably don't depend on the press as much as we do. They're more half court oriented in that respect but they are quick and attack the press.
How much do you know about Taft standout Marshall Harris?
He's a very good player. They've got five really good starters. He's a good player. I think [DeOndre] Logan has been the guy at least in the regionals that has made them go and made key buckets. They isolate him a lot on a lot of ISOs with him. He has drawn some fouls, made some free throws. I think that's the player that kind of gets them going though Harris is a good player. They do have very good players.
Do you feel like Taft is a good match-up for your team?
Well, I suppose so. We really would rather play a slow, bigger team than a faster, quicker team because of what we do. Size wise, I would suppose we match up well with them.
How much has Chris Jones meant to your team this year?
All year long, he's by far carried us. He's been our team leader on the court, off and in the dressing room. He's one of our hardest workers. When we run anything, he's determined to win it. He and Toddrick Gotcher are both two of our hardest workers. They typically win sprints if we do anything like that. They're two of the hardest working kids I've had. Chris is really a hard-working kid. He loves basketball and he's got a good basketball IQ. He's not one you have to tell stuff over and over to, so he translates that to kids. Many coaches say this but he really is like having a coach on the floor. That was typical of how he's carried us all year long. He just comes through in big games.
Discuss what part of the experience of going to state in 2010 that your team carried forward into this season.
Well, just our motto of 'unfinished business'. We had one unit, one goal, one destination-to get back to Austin. We're very aware that the team we beat in the first round last year, San Antonio Wagner, had been down there the year before. It doesn't always translate into victories. You've still got to do it on the court. We're very aware of that, so we understand that what we've got to do is go do it on the floor. Hopefully it helps but at the end of the day, it's still 90 feet of basketball that you've got to play.
Your team's only loss came to Arlington Grace Prep early in the year. How much did you learn from that defeat?
Well, we played that game in the Special Events Center here. They built it up a lot. They had a big seven footer at the time who was the No. 1 ranked player in the nation for the junior class and they had other good players. So, they kind of built that up. That was good for our kids because they kind of found out what it was like to play in that type of atmosphere. We didn't handle it well. We got off to a slow start. A couple of times, their coach did a good job of calling timeouts when we finally got the press going. So, that taught us right then that you have to prepare for the game and all the extracurricular stuff is just that, it's extracurricular. It's about what you do on the floor. So I think that helped us and also an early loss makes you more dedicated. We'd been hearing about how we were going back to state. It taught us a lesson that nothing's guaranteed. What we have to do is do it when we go out there. That helped us get refocused, understand what it is about-what you do on the floor.
Is your team's demeanor the same heading into state this year as it was going into state last year or is it different?
No, it's different. Last year, none of our kids had been to Austin. We didn't know anything of what to expect. Some of our seniors said, 'coach, you should have told us last year.' I was talking to some of the younger kids today about the atmosphere. We sat down and talked about how many people it seats and all that. They said I should have talked to them about that last year and I didn't realize I didn't. I think that helps. I see that we're going into it a little bit with their eyes open and understanding what they're going to have to face and what it's all about.
