Expectations High for Boy's Basketball

By Joel Frady

A sign sits on the door to the office of Marc Payne, varsity basketball coach for Ashe County High School,

that lists the "Steps for Basketball Success" as defined by the late sports writer Mary Garber: 1. Come early, 2. Stay late, 3. Take responsibility for your actions, and 4. Do what needs to be done without being told.

If these steps are followed, the Ashe County squad could build on last year's record success - and, with 11 players returning, the pressure is on.

"We've got some of these guys back and they've experienced success," Payne said. "The expectations are high for our boy's team." He noted that expectation in previous years were "probably not quite as high as they've been for this team right here because they're coming off of a season where they won 23 games, which is the most games that an Ashe County High School team has ever won." Three of the squads players - Tommy Spagnolo, Daniel Waln and Tatum Lemly - also played on the 2006-2007 varsity squad that won 16 games.

But Payne is cautious of the hype, noting that "you've got to play every game.

"Expectations don't win any game," he continued. "You have to prepare. Once you start playing you evaluate your players based on productivity and how they function in the game. We've seen most of these players operate under game conditions, so we have a pretty good idea of what they're going to do."

The 14-man roster included three new players, all juniors: Darren Green, Sam Price and Jeren Holman, who joined the rest of the team for a summer basketball program that was held in June. Payne then turned over the players to their fall sports (many played for the varsity football squad), and has just recently completed a full week of practice. Due to forecasts for bad weather, the Nov. 26 home game against West Caldwell has been postponed to Monday, Dec. 15, so the team will be able to practice for a second week before their Tuesday, Dec. 2, game at Watauga in Boone.

Once the season starts, however, the squad will be playing two games a week through the middle of February in what Payne calls "a very tough league.

"Wilkes Central has as many people back from last year's team as we do," he said. "North Surry and Starmount (who defeated the Huskies three times during the 2007-2008 season) will always be good, and there are some other teams that will improve."

For Payne, who also led Beaver Creek High School and Watauga High School in his 34 years as a head coach, is ready for the challenge.

"I love the game and like the competition," he said. "I don't know of anything else I'd want to do." He noted that, in terms of his coaching style, what the coaching staff "expects out of our team is what we've expected since the time I was at Beaver Creek, and that is man-to-man defense, motion offense and the fast break, push the ball up the floor whenever you've got the opportunity."

He joked that while it's just another season for him, it means much more to the players.

"As far as nine seniors are concerned, it's their last season so they're pretty excited," he said.

The Ashe County Huskies will play their first home game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 8 against the Alleghany Trojans. To find out more about the 2008-2009 Ashe County basketball season, call (336) 846-2400 or click to www.ashe.k12.nc.us/achs/web/home/index.htm.