SMHS BOYS BASKETBALL
The Rattlers participated in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Showcase over the weekend.
Playing in Carrollton, San Marcos went 2-1 during the showcase beating the Prestonwood Christian Lions 72-46 and the Frisco Liberty Redhawks 57-44. The Rattlers lone defeat of the showcase came against The Woodlands Highlanders 66-39, “I was very pleased with the two days,” Head Coach Dan Miller said. “We got better each game and played great competition. The guys showed a lot of togetherness and unity, which is something we are putting a heavy emphasis on in our offseason. We are shaping our culture and our guys worked great with that.”
Despite taking a tough loss against the Highlanders in the opening game of the showcase, the Rattlers regrouped to win their final two games.
“The Woodlands went 3-0 [at the TABC Showcase] and are 13-1 in summer league,” Miller said. “They took it to us and everyone they played against. But our guys didn’t waver. We learned a few things, went out to beat a very good Prestonwood Christian team and beat a strong Frisco Liberty team who also had a good showing. It was a good stepping stone to propel us into July.”
San Marcos returns three starters from last year’s team in Cash Good, Josiah Holeman and Donavan Riddick that went 21-14 but missed the playoffs in a rough and tumble District 27.
Now in District 29 with seven teams, the Rattlers are looking to fill in the pieces to make a return trip to the playoffs and contend for the district championship.
“We have three really good players in Cash [Good], Josiah [Holeman] and Donavan [Riddick],” Miller said. “We want those guys to take the next step. They are doing it in different ways and I’m proud of that. But to go along with them, we need to see who is going to fit in that puzzle piece and play a strong role on the court.
As San Marcos will continue work on finding both a starting rotation and player roles, Miller is starting to see that coming together.
“That is something we are continuing to figure out and find that puzzle piece with our players,” Miller said. “As the guys went on, maybe we had some nerves to start with but as we went on, the players really stepped it up along with those three guys to put together good play.”
A key difference between last year’s team and this year’s team will be team speed.
The Rattlers will look to improve their ability to get down the court and score in transition, which San Marcos did in the showcase.
“We are getting back into playing faster,” Miller said. “We are not the biggest team but we are a fast team. I thought our offense [did a good job of] moving the ball down the court, finding those scoring zones and finding the advantages.'
Another factor the Rattlers are looking to improve on is team depth.
With news players on the roster, San Marcos is looking to use their depth for advantages against opponents.
“We are also going to be able to switch out a lot of our personnel,” Miller said. “We don’t have a true big man but we are very interchangeable and we are trying to find the right things to make this group their best.”
But perhaps the most important aspect is that the Rattlers are focusing on going back to the basis that made San Marcos a powerhouse in the first place.
“We have to be our best every single game,” Miller said. “The guys are understanding that. They have more of a sense of urgency after the first two years of success coming from the 38-4 team. It is really important that we go back to what got us there which is hard work and unity.
“That is our motto this year is being all in. Being all in on each other and Rattler basketball so we can be at our best.”
The Rattlers will continue their offseason workouts before starting back up in the fall leagues during the start of the new school year.
[email protected] Twitter: @ColtonBMc
Cash Good goes in for the layup during the Rattlers TABC Showcase game. Photo submitted by San Marcos High School
