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November 20, 2009 Cartersville, Georgia
SPORTS
Wildcats hungry for state playoffs
David Royal
Associate Sports Editor
Friday, Nov 13, 2009
Associate Sports Editor
Friday, Nov 13, 2009
Woodland’s Vincent Mitchell adjusts his shot in midair against Adairsville at home last year. SKIP BUTLER/skip.butler@daily-tribune.com
With two players who started or were a sixth man and several others with extensive playing time, Woodland High is looking to be competitive in its region again this year.
Head coach Mike Tobin said the Wildcats worked hard during the summer to improve their basketball skills and prepare for their upcoming region battles.
"We had an excellent summer," Tobin said. "We won the championship of the University of Georgia Team Camp. Many players were very dedicated and committed in an attempt to improve individual and team development."
He expects those efforts to pay dividends this season.
"We are trying to be competitive. We should be a pretty solid team by the time the end of the season rolls around."
Tobin said the Region 7-AAAA school's season will likely be determined by the intensity and success of its defense.
"Our defensive play has to be hard-nosed," he said. "We need to make it as tough as possible on other teams to score.
"That means when those teams shoot, we need all five of our players to box out."
He said defensively the Wildcats will turn mostly to its man-to-man but has some matchups it runs as well.
"We like to mix it up," he said.
Tobin said the performance of a number of players will be the key to its success.
They include point guard Vincent Mitchell, shooting guard Malcolm Johnson and center Derek Gentry, who all played in each of the team's games last year.
Mitchell, 5 feet 8 inches, is the lone returning starter from last year's squad, which finished 14-10 overall and 6-8 in its region. The point guard worked in the offseason to improve his shots, Tobin said, who expects improved perimeter shooting this season from the player who led the Wildcats in 3-point shooting percentage (20 or more shots) with 33.3 percent.
Mitchell also had the second best free-throw shooting percentage, at 65.4 percent, averaged 11.1 points per game, led in steals with 37, and was second in assists.
"We expect an outstanding season out of him," Tobin said.
Tobin said Johnson, another "excellent perimeter shooter," is returning as well. Johnson, 5 feet 11 inches, who hit 31 percent of his 3-point shots, averaged 9.5 points per game and was the team's leading free-throw shooter, hitting 76 percent of his attempts.
"Expect a big year from him," Tobin said.
Center Derek Gentry, 6 feet 4 inches, also brings extensive experience.
Gentry, Tobin said, showed a lot of improvement as the season progressed, becoming a more aggressive player.
He noted Gentry hit 45.5 percent of his 3-point shots, scored 50 points and blocked eight shots.
"We need a big year out of him," Tobin said.
Forward Adam Tobin played in 17 varsity games last year as well as on the junior-varsity team.
Tobin, 6 foot 3 inches, scored 28 points and shot 52 percent in varsity games while pulling down 27 rebounds.
"We expect to see big improvements and big contributions," Mike Tobin said, also Adam's father.
Tobin described Daryel Morris as a "very explosive guard" and one of the top players on the JV team.
He said Darrius Shaw (5 feet 10 inches) and Jon Siniard (6 feet 2 inches) both have great attitudes and should do an "excellent job fulfilling" their roles for the Wildcats.
Other key returning players and newcomers are Isaiah Niblet, 6 feet 1 inch; Xavier Niblet, 6 feet 2 inches; and Chandler Royal, 6 feet 3 inches.
Tobin said there should be a lot of tough competition in the region this year, with its most competitive team likely to be Hillgrove.
He said Woodland, whose highlight last year was winning the Rome News-Tribune Holiday Tournament, hopes to be competitive in its region.
"The region is shaping up to be very competitive. We have 15 teams and that makes it difficult to win the region and/or earn a trip back to the state tournament," Tobin said. "It's kind of who gets hot at the end of the year."
Tobin said the team has been putting in a lot of effort and he clearly hopes it is one of those hot squads who extend their season.
Head coach Mike Tobin said the Wildcats worked hard during the summer to improve their basketball skills and prepare for their upcoming region battles.
"We had an excellent summer," Tobin said. "We won the championship of the University of Georgia Team Camp. Many players were very dedicated and committed in an attempt to improve individual and team development."
He expects those efforts to pay dividends this season.
"We are trying to be competitive. We should be a pretty solid team by the time the end of the season rolls around."
Tobin said the Region 7-AAAA school's season will likely be determined by the intensity and success of its defense.
"Our defensive play has to be hard-nosed," he said. "We need to make it as tough as possible on other teams to score.
"That means when those teams shoot, we need all five of our players to box out."
He said defensively the Wildcats will turn mostly to its man-to-man but has some matchups it runs as well.
"We like to mix it up," he said.
Tobin said the performance of a number of players will be the key to its success.
They include point guard Vincent Mitchell, shooting guard Malcolm Johnson and center Derek Gentry, who all played in each of the team's games last year.
Mitchell, 5 feet 8 inches, is the lone returning starter from last year's squad, which finished 14-10 overall and 6-8 in its region. The point guard worked in the offseason to improve his shots, Tobin said, who expects improved perimeter shooting this season from the player who led the Wildcats in 3-point shooting percentage (20 or more shots) with 33.3 percent.
Mitchell also had the second best free-throw shooting percentage, at 65.4 percent, averaged 11.1 points per game, led in steals with 37, and was second in assists.
"We expect an outstanding season out of him," Tobin said.
Tobin said Johnson, another "excellent perimeter shooter," is returning as well. Johnson, 5 feet 11 inches, who hit 31 percent of his 3-point shots, averaged 9.5 points per game and was the team's leading free-throw shooter, hitting 76 percent of his attempts.
"Expect a big year from him," Tobin said.
Center Derek Gentry, 6 feet 4 inches, also brings extensive experience.
Gentry, Tobin said, showed a lot of improvement as the season progressed, becoming a more aggressive player.
He noted Gentry hit 45.5 percent of his 3-point shots, scored 50 points and blocked eight shots.
"We need a big year out of him," Tobin said.
Forward Adam Tobin played in 17 varsity games last year as well as on the junior-varsity team.
Tobin, 6 foot 3 inches, scored 28 points and shot 52 percent in varsity games while pulling down 27 rebounds.
"We expect to see big improvements and big contributions," Mike Tobin said, also Adam's father.
Tobin described Daryel Morris as a "very explosive guard" and one of the top players on the JV team.
He said Darrius Shaw (5 feet 10 inches) and Jon Siniard (6 feet 2 inches) both have great attitudes and should do an "excellent job fulfilling" their roles for the Wildcats.
Other key returning players and newcomers are Isaiah Niblet, 6 feet 1 inch; Xavier Niblet, 6 feet 2 inches; and Chandler Royal, 6 feet 3 inches.
Tobin said there should be a lot of tough competition in the region this year, with its most competitive team likely to be Hillgrove.
He said Woodland, whose highlight last year was winning the Rome News-Tribune Holiday Tournament, hopes to be competitive in its region.
"The region is shaping up to be very competitive. We have 15 teams and that makes it difficult to win the region and/or earn a trip back to the state tournament," Tobin said. "It's kind of who gets hot at the end of the year."
Tobin said the team has been putting in a lot of effort and he clearly hopes it is one of those hot squads who extend their season.
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