The Gilmer Bobcats completed their first summer under new basketball head coach Clay Crump.
The Cats were together for three weeks in June. It was a chance for Crump to learn about his new squad while tailoring the offense and defense to its strengths.
“Throughout the summer, our players showed tremendous growth in both their understanding of our system and their execution on the court,” Crump said. “Preston McVey established himself as one of the best true big men in the state of Georgia, serving as a focal point in our half-court offense while also anchoring our defense as a rim protector. Fellow senior Mason West proved to be a dependable passer, perimeter shooter and defender throughout the summer.
“We always want to play with toughness and togetherness and we wanted to define what that looks like on the court for them. They’re already tough kids.”
Gilmer was in the gym four days per week in June. They held their annual youth camp in the opening week, and practice followed at 1 p.m. The afternoon start was to accommodate players who attended football practice in the morning.
“We enjoyed hosting our camp for players in grades 3-8 and had the opportunity to see many of our future Bobcats in action,” Crump said. “It was a great experience for our current players and coaches to help invest in the next generation of Gilmer basketball players.”
Crump noted that all the base concepts of the offense and defense have been installed and he is comfortable with what the players have grasped so far.
“Noah Rice and A.J. Callihan established themselves as two of our top guards, while Andrew Chastain had an impressive summer shooting the basketball,” Crump said. “Slade Smith provided consistent defense and rebounding, and several younger players who joined the varsity group made valuable contributions to our success and development.”
The Cats were also on the road during the summer. They attended three separate camps and took the court for exhibitions. They got a glimpse of region opponents Pickens, North Hall and Dawson County.
“Our players had an outstanding summer and made significant progress in a short period of time. We competed against strong competition at Middle Tennessee University, participated in the GBCA Live Event and wrapped up our summer schedule at Lee University," Crump said.
“While we are not especially deep entering this season — with only two seniors and two juniors on the roster — we expect to be competitive both in region play and against our non-region schedule.”
Crump will be assisted by Chris Berry, who previously served as an assistant with the Lady Cats. Timothy Green is back for his second season as an assistant for the Bobcats. Jacob Jenkins is a first-year teacher and will round out the staff.
“Chris is a former GHS player with extensive experience in the game. He brings valuable knowledge and familiarity with the school and community,” Crump said. “Coach Green returns from last year’s staff after playing at the collegiate level and continues to provide our players with a great example while competing alongside them in practice. Jacob Jenkins, a GHS graduate and new science teacher, brings a passion for the game and has all the qualities to become an excellent coach.”
The Bobcats will begin preseason workouts in August before official team practice starts in October.