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Head coach of the Newberry boys basketball team Patrick Green joined Sports Scene to recap Newberry’s season and discuss where they stand heading into the district tournament.
Regular Season Recap
Newberry finished this season with a 20-5 record and were an undefeated 3-0 in district play. An impressive feat, especially considering the adjustments that Newberry had to make along the way. Green said that this season did not go according to plan. The team faced injuries that led to younger players seeing more time on the court. That is why Green describes Newberry as a “scrappy, hardworking team” and one that “fights hard.”
Green highlighted the contributions that Newberry received from freshman this season, including Juwan Scippio and Kaleb Woods. Coach Green praised the younger players who stepped up and “carried the load” for Newberry while other players were out.
Improvements this Season
Green noted several ways that Newberry has improved over the course of the season. He said that he saw improvement in his team defensively, emphasizing “being relentless” in their efforts on the defensive side of the ball.
However, Green said the most important adjustment that Newberry has made over the course of the season is being able to play together as a team.
Keys in the Postseason
Green discussed the mindset that he and Newberry have entering the tournament this year. He sees the tournament as a whole new season with every team starting with the same record, 0-0.
Coach Green said in preparation for this tournament, Newberry is focusing on the little things because the “little things become big when you don’t take care of them.”
Newberry enters the postseason tournament with a bye week. In their first game, they will face the winner of the matchup between Union County and Bell. Newberry did not play Union County during the regular season. However, they did play Bell, defeating them 86-37 on Jan. 9.
