After the DeKalb County Lady Tigers' season-ending 62-42 loss to the Livingston Academy Lady Wildcats in the District 8-AA Tournament, the Smithville Review sat down with Head Coach Joe Pat Cope to reflect on this past season.
Smithville Review: Your team has dealt with some injuries. What challenges did the players face as they adjusted to new roles?
Coach Cope: Late in the season, we had some injuries, but we really dealt with some illness right at the end. Ashli Chew had an ACL injury, but in the season-ending 62-42 loss to the Livingston Lady Wildcats, Lydia Foutch had pneumonia and Abbey Caldwell had the flu. Abbey was not able to score in the game, and they both were just gamers just to be playing. Chelsea Lewis was also sick, losing eight pounds in four days, so we were physically a weak team in that last game. But, as far as changing roles or stepping up their game, Morgan Pedigo really has played well, stepping up her game a bit. Paige Winningham, late in the season, really started coming on with her offensive production, starting to click. They have been a big difference for us.
Review: Going 13-3, outside of the district, but a 1-11 record in district play, did that have a mental effect on your team going into the district tournament?
Cope: Not really. We are used to district 8-AA being as strong as it is. DeKalb County went 10 years without winning a district game. This year, we were able to beat a good Upperman team for the first time since Upperman joined our district, and we were in a lot of games. We went into overtime with Livingston. We were tied late in Jamestown versus York Institute, and we had Upperman and York on the ropes here in Smithville. So, we felt we could compete. We just know that every night we will be facing some very talented teams, and if we don't bring it, we could get embarrassed.
Review: How important was the win against the Upperman Lady Bees for the basketball program and the psyche of your players?
Cope: It was huge. Now we have been fortunate enough to beat Smith County, York Institute, Central Magnet and now, Upperman in the short time we have been here. We just need to find a way to beat Livingston Academy and Cannon County.
I think now we are not intimidated, going into these district games. We just are facing teams like Livingston that have had, since 1998, 20 division 1 players, where DeKalb has only had one. Cynthia Woodward now plays at Freed-Hardeman. It's just a heck of a district to be in.
Review: This year's team was a physically small team. Did the size of your players change how you coached this group?
Cope: We tried to spread some of the bigger teams out. We are the smallest team in the district by far. It does make it tough some nights, when you don't get some easy baskets. We have to depend so much on the three-point shot.
It definitely affects our game plan with what we want to do. We try to spread those teams out and create some lanes to the basket. That last game against Livingston's Selles, it hurt us with Lydia being out. We kept her in check for the most part, but her size just makes her so good. The way she uses her body to get into the right spot is just tremendous. It's hard to guard a six-foot player when you are five-foot-eight. I don't care how much heart you put into it, you're at a major disadvantage.
Review: As the Lady Tigers' program moves forward, what are some of the benchmarks that you feel need to be met for DeKalb County to compete for a district championship?
Cope: We've got to keep our girls in county. We can't lose good athletes. I was talking to a buddy of mine the other day about what type of team we could have had this year, had everyone stayed in the county. We lost Loren Foster to Sparta, and she is an All-District player for them. Cory Jennings is as good an athlete as any in the state of Tennessee, and she will sign a Division 1 softball scholarship. Christian Hale, who now plays for Cannon County, is an excellent player. Put those players with the team that we have now, and we could be a very good team. So, we need to keep our athletes here.
Review: What lessons have you learned this season that you can take with you in the future?
Cope: The three seniors, Lydia Foutch, Abbey Caldwell and Chelsea Lewis gave me 100 percent effort every night they went out there. There was not one time at the end of game when I thought they were outhustled. They were undersized a lot of nights, and it didn't matter to them. I could ask these girls to run through a wall for me and they would. So, I guess that is what I have got to try to convince every senior class to be. Those girls ran the team, kept bickering down in the locker room. I think the most important thing I learned is how important senior leadership is.