GAINESVILLE — After a tumultuous 2015-016 campaign that saw everything from player suspensions, to forfeited games -- including the Lanierland Tournament -- to a heart-stopping and controversial loss to McIntosh in the playoffs, Gainesville boys basketball coach Benjie Wood is ready to have some fun again.
“Absolutely,” Wood said Monday as the Red Elephants prepare to open the 2016-17 season Saturday against Langston Hughes in the Jared Cook Tip-Off Classic at North Gwinnett High School.
“You know, it was kind of a crazy season, and we certainly had our share of adversity last year. But I thought with everything we had a good year,” Wood said. “We’re just ready to get going on this season. I think this will be a fun season for the coaches, players, and fans.”
Saturday’s opener -- an 8:30 p.m. tip-off and the headliner of a full day’s action involving several state-ranked teams -- will be an early-season battle between a pair of teams expected to be power-brokers in Class AAAAAA. The Red Elephants are ranked No. 2 preseason; the Panthers are ranked third.
And despite graduating one of the state’s premier players in D’Marcus Simonds (now at Georgia State), it’s easy to see why Wood is expecting big things from his new assemblage.
The Red Elephants return three starters in juniors KJ Buffen (6-foot-7) and Bailey Minor (6-6) and senior Michael White (6-4). Junior Xavier Bledson (6-4), a part-time starter last season, also returns. Add in junior twins and move-ins from Newnan, Jarred and Jarrel Rosser (both 6-6), and 5-11 junior point guard Kajuan Hale (out of Nashville, Tenn.) and Gainesville could have one of the more versatile and athletic lineups in Class AAAAAA.
Buffen, Bailey, both Rosser twins, and Bledson can all play inside and out. Senior Ross Tipton (6-7) can add size off the bench while juniors Austin Long (6-1) and Jim Barnett (6-1) offer backcourt help. Brent Kelly and Maurice Hector are the lone sophomores but could see action as well.
Buffen is being sought by several Division I programs, including Georgia and Georgia Tech, which have both offered scholarships. Minor and the Rosser twins and Hale all have garnered some interest.
Yet Buffen was sidelined for part of the offseason and summer leagues and AAU commitments throughout the lineup limited the constructed roster to just nine full practices as a whole so far. With the group still meshing in the up-tempo style on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court that have been the trademark of the Red Elephants, Wood has tried to temper some of the early hype.
“We have not been able to practice as a group nearly as much as we would have liked,” Wood said. “It takes time to learn our system, and we have some new guys, and we didn’t have everyone available so I’m expecting there to be some growing pains. I think we’re going to be a work in progress early on, I really do.”
The new group, which features just two seniors and 10 juniors and sophomores, will have to adapt and progress under fire as Wood has put together one of Gainesville’s most ambitious schedules in school history.
After Langston Hughes, the Red Elephants face non-region tilts against Class AAAAAA semifinalist Milton, a home-and-home series with Class AAA quarterfinalist St. Pius, Class AAAAAAA Brookwood, and they will take on Alabama power Lee (Huntsville), which reached the 2015 state quarterfinals in Alabama’s largest classification.
The Region 8-AAAAAA schedule also figures to be challenging with Dacula, also ranked in the top 10, recent power Apalachee, and improved Winder-Barrow, Habersham Central, and Lanier squads all looking for playoff spots by the end of the season.
One reason for the jump in competition is that Gainesville may have its most talented roster in Wood’s four years at the helm.
“I do think it may be the most athletic team top to bottom we’ve had since I’ve been here. We sought a challenging schedule because I want them to be challenged so we can see just how good they are,” he said. “They have a lot of potential as a group. But you know what they say about potential.”
Wood also notes that his team will only go as far as its defense will carry it.
Buffen and Minor both have the ability to play in the middle and have blocked their share of shots the past two seasons. The Rosser twins and Tipton off the bench also should offer defensive challenges with shot-blocking capapbilities and rebounding. Hale is quick on the defensive end, as is White, and both should help generate turnovers.
“That is always the focal point,” Wood said. “We will pressure people so getting the defensive side where we want it will be the key for us. You have to play good defense. We have several guys we feel we can offer different matchups for teams depending on their size or quickness. We have a lot of versatility."
All Wood requires is two things.
“I have two basic rules that I want from everyone: Effort and attitude. If they give us that every day at practice and in the games, I think we’ll be successful,” he said. "I like what I've seen from this group so far."
Which brings us back to the schedule. When Wood was informed by North Gwinnett coach Matt Garner about their season-opening opponent, Wood made a request.
“Our goal is to get this team to be the best it can be. For us to do that, we want to play the best. We got the headlining game because I asked coach Garner to let us play (Langston) Hughes,” Wood said. “This is just part of the process. We want to play the best teams we can. I think we’re going to be a fun team to watch.”
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/11/470126/talented-deep-red-elephants-ready-to-have-some-fun