BUFORD – Buford boys basketball coach Eddie Martin knew he had a boatload of talent returning this season.
As a matter of fact, he said before the season began, “This team has more depth than any team I have had thus far since coming to Buford. We have worked hard in the offseason on defending and rebounding better. I believe this team, if we stay healthy, has a chance a make a deep run in the playoffs.”
He was right, after all, you don’t win more than 800 games and nine state titles without knowing your basketball program.
However, that’s not to say the Wolves haven’t experienced bumps and bruises along the way to Friday night’s Class 5A championship game against Fayette County. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Macon Centreplex. (Live coverage on FM 102.9 & AM 550 WDUN)
The Wolves had a couple of hiccups, including a stunning loss at home to Region 8-5A foe Loganville in January. That game turned out to be a learning experience and a springboard for the Wolves.
"Loganville punched us in the mouth," Martin said after the 59-50 win over Southwest DeKalb last week. "It was a wake call for the entire group. We re-committed to the things we needed to do to win – play defense and rebound – they really have been playing well since.”
Buford was focused against SWD in last week's semifinal win, forcing 14 turnovers and outrebounding SWD 36-20.
The Wolves are riding a 13-game winning streak and it has them smelling a second state title in three years, but satisfaction will not be fulfilled until the Class 5A championship trophy is on the bus back to Buford Friday night.
"We are happy to be back in the state championship but we are not satisfied just by being in the game," Martin said. "A win versus Fayette County would be the exclamation mark to an already very good season."
Fayette County (26-5), who also beat Southwest DeKalb earlier in the season, punched its ticket to Macon off a 69-62 overtime win over Lithonia last week.
The Wolves will be focused on stopping a good 3-point shooting team, especially Ricky Knight (13.1 ppg, 33-percent 3PA) and JeKobe Coleman (15 ppg, 42-percent 3PA). They'll also have the task of keeping 6-foot-5 senior forward Gregory Smith off the boards as well as a pair of 6-foot-3 defenders Joshua Dupree and William Richard – all three are leading the team in rebounds.
"Fayette County is a very talented team," Martin said. "To get by them, we will have to continue to defend hard and keep them off the glass. They have a couple of good 3-point shooters and they rebound hard."
As for the Wolves, senior guard Donell Nixon has been stellar in the playoffs, averaging close to 18 points per game. He turned in a game-high 20 points – 18 from the 3-point arc – in the semifinals.
The Wolves also will count on strong inside play from a pair of 6-foot-6 forwards – Oklahoma State-signee Marcus Watson and High Pointe-commit Eric Coleman.
Not to be forgotten is perhaps the Wolves best defender in Bobby Miller. Miller, who scored 14 points against SWD.
"Bobby is one of our top defenders but he is capable of giving us 10 to 14 points when the other team has to guard the others,” Martin said after last week's win over SWD.
"We will have to have balanced scoring (against Fayette)," he said. "We can’t just rely on one or two players to carry us offensively."
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