SABINE AIMS TO REIGN OVER CLASS 2A BASKETBALL IN TEXAS

[KLEOFAN]

Sabine aims to reign over Class 2A
With eight seniors back from record-setting season, Cardinals expected to soar.

By RICK KRETZSCHMAR
LIBERTY CITY — Reign is a popular word in the Sabine boys’ basketball program. Their slogan for the 2008-09 season was, 'Reign Now.' This year's slogan is 'Witness the Reign.'
"We didn't want to begin this and not finish out," Sabine coach Tim Davis said.
Sabine has been able to reign over most Class 2A schools in Texas. What the Cardinals are seeking this year is a reign over a region which barely got away from them last year, and if everything comes to together, reign over Texas. Sabine opens its 2009-10 season hosting Bullard at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The current reign has been impressive. Sabine was 36-5 last season, setting a school record for wins in a season before falling to New Waverly 27-26 in the Class 2A Region III final. Sabine was also 28-7 as a Class 3A team in 2007-08.
The recent success has drawn comparisons to Sabine's most successful era, when the Cardinals won the 1980 Class A state title, the 1981 Class 2A state championship and advanced to the Class 2A Region III final in 1982.
Sabine has eight seniors returning from a year ago. While meaning no offense to underclassmen and future Cardinals whatsoever, Davis said the large number of seniors may create the possibility that Sabine currently has an open window opportunity for region and/or state championships, and that window may close after this season.
Davis said he had a similar feeling about such a window when he coached at Trinidad earlier this decade, which was anchored by 6-3 standout Malcolm Smith. Trinidad dropped a Class A Division II Region III semifinal to Karnack in 2004 and an area playoff to Stephenville Huckaby in 2005.
"The difference is Trinidad had one really good player. This group has chemistry. They've played together since the third grade," Davis said. "They have to take advantage of this opportunity now. There's no guarantee they'll play New Waverly again, or get back to the same point they were at last year."
New Waverly may or may not run into Sabine again, but the Cardinals have been thinking about New Waverly since their bizarre encounter last year.
In that game, both teams went into a stall in the fourth quarter, and neither team moved as seven minutes and 35 seconds went off the clock. Sabine took a 26-25 lead on a Jacob Kenna drive with 15 seconds remaining, but New Waverly's X'Zavious Harrison made two free throws with four seconds remaining to give New Waverly the win. Sabine couldn't get off a last-second shot.
"After that game, I wasn't tired at all. Normally, I feel tired after a game, even when we win big," Sabine senior swingman Noah Jackson said. "I had dreams about the game for two weeks straight afterwards. I kept dreaming about him (Harrison) making those free throws."
Sabine should get reminders about New Waverly this year, but they should be pleasant. Davis said the name of his team's stall play to preserve a lead has been changed from stall to 'New Waverly.'
"It kind of keeps you motivated," Sabine senior guard-forward Josh Montana said. "It makes you work harder every day, and prepares you to expect the unexpected."
Montana said he hopes this year's Sabine team will be faster and play better defense while retaining its sharp-shooting skills. Leading the large batch of seniors is point guard Colton Kirk — a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all-state selection — and Jackson, District 18-2A's Most Valuable Player in 2008-09.
Yet even if Sabine is better than last year, the Cardinals may not win more games. Not including tournaments, Sabine plays just one game against a Class 2A non-district opponent. Sabine travels to southeast Texas for the Hardin-Jefferson tournament, then hosts its physically-grueling Last Man Standing tournament the following week. Sabine's tournament guarantees each team six games in three days.
"Fewer wins is most definitely a possibility," Davis said.
Davis said because of last year's success, there will be a huge amount of expectations on his team this year from Sabine supporters. However, those expectations may be at the core of this season's outcome.
"This is probably the most mentally-tough team I have coached," Davis said. "That mental toughness will be our identity."
That toughness could transform into a confidence, and perhaps a chance to reign supreme.
"When we're playing our best, I haven't seen another Class 2A team that can beat us," Montana said.

[AggiesAreWe]

I'll get my first look at this "Sabine" team tomorrow at 12:30 against East Chambers, another 2A team.

[KLEOFAN]

MAXPREPS SPORTS

SHOWS GLADEWATER SABINE LOSING @ MABANK ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 09, 2009 BY FORFEIT 

SCORE: SABINE – 0        MABANK – 2

MAYBE SOMEONE CAN CONFIRM THIS INFORMATION.

OTHER LOSES, BACK TO BACK ARE

SABINE AT HOME – 36        BISHOP GORMAN (TYLER, TX) – 51

SABINE – 63              @ CLARKSVILLE - 64

[2Afan]

From what I read, Sabine's bus broke down on the way to the game Tuesday and they didn't play the game. The loss to TK Gorman was odd because they're an average private school team. Clarksville is a respectable loss. Sabine is going to run a 1-2-2 defense, and will not look athletic as they walk into the gym. They'll mix in some different presses every once in a while. They shoot the ball well, and their best overall player is Noah Jackson. The leader of the team is Colton Kirk their point guard. This is all going off of what I saw last season. Sabine's coach is arrogant and I believe is the reason they lost in the regional final last year. Instead of allowing his players to play defense, he had them sit back in their zone the entire 3rd quarter as New Waverly held the ball and most of the 4th quarter as well. Athletically, they won't matchup with Kountze or HJ, but they're very fundamentally sound and should be competitive in the tournament.

[Guest]

I think Kountze would have more trouble with New Waverly than Sabine.