Carrollton's Thomaston credits Buford's Durden for part of Lady Trojans' success

CARROLLTON -- How do you repay someone that has been feeding you knowledge for years in an effort to better yourself and your team?

Carrollton girls basketball coach Shon Thomaston said by beating them, of course.

"That would be nice," said Thomaston, whose Lady Trojans will take on Buford Thursday at the Macon Centreplex for the Class AAAA state title. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on WDUN AM 550 "Whether we can, well that's a whole other thing. They are always tough."

Thomaston has been attending Buford girls coach Gene Durden's annual coaches clinic for years in an effort to better his own program. In fact, he has tried to model certain aspects of his own program after what Durden has implemented at Buford.

The two coaches first met when Thomaston was a new coach at Carrollton and Durden was at Dade County and the two teams were in the same region. It was a meeting that sparked what is going on a near 20-year friendship.

"Coach Durden was a huge help to me when I first got started," Thomaston said. "We didn't play each other at the beginning because we were subdivided but we met for the first time in a region tournament and his team did things to us I don't have words to describe. It was quite a lesson.

"But after that game he gave me some great words of encouragement and told me I was doing things right and coaching the kids the right way and to keep it up. He gave me his number and we've been friends ever since. I still call him if I have a question about something or need some advice."

However, in 2007 Thomaston's Lady Trojans actually got one over his mentor via a 49-42 regular season win over the Lady Wolves in Buford.

Whether that particular win was the catalyst for his program or not, it's perhaps no coincidence that Carrollton rode that victory to the third round of the playoffs -- where they lost to eventual state champion East Hall -- and reached the state title game against Kendrick the following season (where they lost 79-67).

The Lady Trojans finally hit jackpot in 2009, beating Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe for the Class AAA title.

"I think (the win over Buford) showed our girls at that time that they could play with and beat anyone," Thomaston said. "That group of girls was a special bunch and they improved each year to finally win a title. I'm sure Coach Durden and what he taught us had a part in that."

However, even Thomaston said sometimes you're only as good as your talent and the Lady Trojans have not gotten out of the first round since the 2009 title season. They missed the playoffs altogether in 2011.

Fast-forward to 2015.

Thomaston and his latest squad have been slowly building for this season and he said they have the right combination of inside and outside scoring, not to mention a solid defense that is yielding just 45 ppg on the season.

Carrollton has size inside with 6-foot-2 junior center Emily Waters (12 points per game, 7 rebounds per game) and 5-11 freshman Erial Daniel (9 ppg, 6 rpg). Senior guards Alecia North (12 ppg) and Faith Swint (5 apg) run the show for the Lady Trojans and they want to play fast while pounding the ball inside.

It could pose a matchup problem for the Buford, which has just one regular -- Chandler Hall at 5-11 -- that can match Carrollton's size. Lady Wolves North Carolina State-signee Camille Anderson measures in at 5-9 but plays much taller -- though she is often on the perimeter, handling the ball. Corey Staples is also 5-9 but is more of a slasher and outside shooter.

"First off, Buford creates a lot of matchup issues for defenses so we have to play our game and not worry too much about changing a lot things at this point," Thomaston said. "Our plan is try and get the ball inside and try to get to the line. We like to play fast but the key to the game for both teams will be how we handle their press.

"If they succeed in turning us over like they do most people, it's probably going to be a long game. If we can beat it then we can do the things we like and I think that's where we might have a slight advantage. It will be a chess match and a contrast in styles. I like games like that."

No matter the outcome, Thomaston said he will have nothing but great things to say about how Durden has helped him build his program. And, he will be right back in his familiar spot in the Buford gym in October.

"This won't change anything for us," Thomaston said. "I'll still be up there trying to learn something new. Hopefully something that will help us beat him the next time if we don't this time."