RULEVILLE- Depending on the sports prognosticators people listen to, a team’s record is an accurate description of who they are or perhaps an illusion.
When it comes to the 3-5 Thomas Edwards High School Tigers’ early season struggles, it might be a mistake to disregard them based on such a small sample size.
“I think we have the potential to compete for a state championship,” said Tigers head coach Anthony Davis. “Last year we lost in the second round of the playoffs to Booneville – the team that eventually went on to win the state championship.”
What gives this coach such high hopes for the 2022-2023 campaign? Well…a couple of things. First, Coach Davis has been there and done that. He spent 20 years as the head coach at Shaw High School where he won two state championships and finished runner-up in 2017 and made the final four in 2019.
Davis’ proven track record is one factor. Now in his third year at the helm in Ruleville, Davis uses the good old eyeball test as the foundation for his optimism.
“This year, we have really been blessed with a combination of size, skill and leadership,” he explained. “We are a senior-led ball club that tries to get out in transition and get easy baskets on offense and pressure teams and speed them up on defense. We try to force teams into doing things on the court they are comfortable with.”
The Tigers came up short recently at home against their cross-county, in-school-district rival, Gentry. The home gym was packed and the decibel level was off the charts. “It was a very competitive game and we missed a lot of free throws,” Davis recalled. “I also had a couple of players who were just joining the team fresh off the football season.”
The Tigers have an upcoming home game on December 20 and will participate in the Humphreys County Holiday Tournament on December 29.
