'Uh, oh!'

When I heard over the summer that Strong had pursuaded Anthony Avery to coach the girls basketball team for a year, I said, "uh, oh!"
The once-proud Lady Bulldogs' program had been in a steady decline since its back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006. Last year was an all-time low, ending a long stretch of regional and state tournament berths.
It didn't look to be much better this year ... until ... "uh, oh!"
I wasn't sure what Avery could do with the team, which seemed to underachieve last season. One thing I knew for certain, though, he would have the players' respect. Even if he didn't field a team, Coach Avery would not sit on that sideline and be disrespected.
Well, he got his players' attention. The Lady Bulldogs are playing hard again. That was always the staple of this program. They played hard even when they didn't play smart. They always won the board battle. They always got the loose balls.
Even when they couldn't shoot, couldn't dribble, couldn't pass they made up for it by getting more shots and more possessions just because they got every loose ball.
As someone who loves "skilled" basketball, the Lady Bulldogs aren't always my favorite team to watch. Their sling-it-toward-the-rim and go get it attitude isn't aesthetically pleasing but it is very effective.
I watched Strong push a superior Norphlet team last week. When I heard the Lady Bulldogs beat Parkers Chapel last night, I wasn't stunned. No, I didn't predict they'd be sitting in second place in the league, right now. But, I knew if Avery didn't run 'em all off, the old trademarks would return and they'd be a team no one wanted to face - a team that even if you beat them, you'll walk away with scrapes and bruises and a desire never to play them again.
That's old-school Strong girls basketball. It's no fun to watch and even less fun to play against.
Coach Avery has brought it back.
"Uh, oh!"