Thursday, March 08, 2007
Cantrell keeps it simple
The veteran Floyd County coach has long followed the advice of Sonny Smith.
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FLOYD -- The Floyd County High School girls' basketball program's trademark high-octane style of play started with a "KISS."
Brought to Buffaloes coach Alan Cantrell's attention in 1976 when he was a college senior and a team manager for the East Tennessee State men's basketball team, the acronym was scribbled on a board by then-ETSU coach Sonny Smith.
Cantrell has never forgotten Smith's revelation of what the letters stood for: "Keep it simple, stupid."
"Over the years I've thought back about that and how right that is as far as athletics and kids and basketball," said Cantrell, who has overseen Floyd County hardwood affairs for 23 seasons. "If I start coaching too much I'm going to mess us up. ... He talked a lot about having your own philosophy as a coach, your own style, your thing and sticking with that. Our style is just to get out and sprint as hard as you can."
Sprint hard, screen often, score quickly, smother the opposing offense from the opening tip to the final buzzer -- these are the core tenets of the vintage up-tempo attack Cantrell's Floyd County teams have used to wear down opponents for more than two decades.
For the latest mastery of this turbo-charged mixture of full-court pressure defense and transition offense, witness the current Floyd County girls' basketball team, which meets Stonewall Jackson (23-4) today in a 2 p.m., Group A state semifinal game at the Siegel Center in Richmond.
The undefeated Buffaloes (26-0), who lost 52-48 to Gate City in this game a year ago, have posted 80 or more points seven times this season, while averaging 72.5 points a game to their opponents' 44.4. Standout Lindsey Thompson insists the Buffaloes aren't out to meet any particular scoring benchmark.
"No matter what anybody else says on the team, we don't have a goal," the junior point guard said.
Teammate Adrienne Womack isn't so convinced, especially after the Buffaloes lit up the scoreboards for a season-high 109 against Giles.
"One hundred is nice," the senior center said. "Sometimes, some games we're like, 'let's get 100 tonight, ladies.' Not to just say we're getting 100, but to reach for the stars."
Over the years, Floyd County's blistering execution has garnered the respect -- and frustration -- of opponents. Cantrell remembers Pulaski County coach Brenda King once expressing her angst about a Floyd County surge that her team's pre-game practices failed to blunt.
"After the game was over she said, 'Coach, I put seven players out there trying to demonstrate and show what kind of pressure it was going to be with you all's press,'" Cantrell said. "'We went five against seven and I still could not simulate what you all are doing.'
"That year she ... called our defense 'the black swarm.' Everybody that's watched us over the years knows we're going to do one thing and we're going to go at it as hard as we can."
The work begins in practice where eavesdroppers will grow familiar with Cantrell's frequent admonishments for players to "Push!", "Hurry!" and "Hustle!"
Regular sprints build players' conditioning.
"We've got to make it in the time they give us or we've got to run it again," said senior co-captain Ashley Tanner.
Most of Cantrell's players over the years have had no trouble buying into the system. A similar style of play is used among Floyd's JV teams, so players are prepared once they reach the varsity level.
"I've been very fortunate to have really good athletes," the coach said. "It's the same old thing: You're not going to run the Kentucky Derby with a mule. We've been real fortunate to have athletes here at Floyd every year, some years a few more than others. But the kids work hard."
This season, the Buffaloes have done their best work in the second half, where single-digit leads have regularly ballooned to irrecoverable deficits for the opposition.
When Floyd County played J.J. Kelly in last weekend's Group A quarterfinal, the Buffaloes tripled an eight-point halftime lead by the end of the third quarter.
Cantrell says as long as he's in charge, Floyd County will continue its swift mode of operation.
"The kids love it. I love it. The fans love it," he said. "And everybody knows what we're going to do."
