It has been a whirlwind preseason for the Gilmer Bobcats.
Sean Glaze enters his first season as the Bobcats head coach, and his short time with the program was recently cut back even more. Glaze took over for Jordan Hice, who resigned at the end of June as the program’s all-time wins leader.
“We have really good kids. I like our kids and after being away from high school for four years now and spent a couple years at Reinhardt, you remind yourself about what you like working with a team,” Glaze said. “With the timing and opportunity, sometimes God opens doors for you, and I’m grateful for the chance.”
Glaze and the Cats performed the regular workouts in the months leading up to the season where four players can work with one coach. That was their first time on the court together this year.
Seven varsity players regularly showed up during that time, and Glaze expects six football players to help fill out the roster. Younger players have received plenty of court time throughout the preseason.
“We’ve been shorthanded in terms of early season work. We’ve had some freshmen helping up with the varsity in the first couple games. When we looked at our numbers, we’ve been able to bring up two eighth graders that will help us be able to field a JV team,” Glaze said.
“Hopefully numbers won’t be an issue moving forward, but that was something that was a unique situation and the kids have done a great job to get acclimated here at the high school.”
He added, “We had really good investment and energy during that time, especially from our seniors Keegen Bryant, Alex Miltiades and Jaden Sevcech. They’re going to be a big part of us establishing a different system and different style of play this year.”
Glaze was already behind the eight ball as he was hired after the summer. That time was trimmed even more when he experienced some shadowy vision in one eye. He was diagnosed with a detached retina, which required over two weeks of recovery.
He missed the Cats’ scrimmage against Cherokee Bluff and returned to the court last week. Assistant coaches handled practices in his absence.
“I’m very grateful for the kids to be as resilient as they have been and really hungry to learn and implement,” Glaze said. “Even when I wasn’t there they continued to go about some of the things we’ve tried to build in with the culture. I have one eye that is still a little blurry, but I’ve been able to be on the court.”
Bryant is the top returning player from last season’s 12-14 team. GHS reached the state tournament for the fourth straight season and were eliminated in the first round.
Bryant started every game and ended his junior season as the team leader in assists per game (3.1) to go with 17.3 points, 2.1 steals and 4.3 rebounds. He shot 41 percent from the field and 68 percent from the free-throw line.
Miltiades and Sevcech will see more court time, and junior Preston McVey gives the Cats a big presence in the post, and Glaze said he has shown “a whole lot of growth.”
Sophomore Andrew Chastain will see some varsity time, and Glaze expects freshmen Silas West and Noah Rice to take the court as well. Juniors Douglas Callihan and Mason West and sophomore A.J. Callihan will join the team after football.
“I really like our kids, and we have a chance to be pretty good,” Glaze said. “I think we’re a ways away from where we’ll be in February because there is such a learning curve for them right now. We’re putting so much system stuff in right now we haven’t worked a great deal on individual skill development.
“We’ll continue to pepper that in but a lot of it is getting them comfortable in who we’re going to defend and what we want to do offensively, what our inbounds stuff is and how we attack a press. After spending some time with the kids and having some one-on-one conversations, I’m very much excited about where we’re headed. They show up each day and want to be coachable.”
Glaze noted that GHS will primarily be a man-to-man team. He said around 80 percent of the offense and defense has been installed. He noted that with the offense they will “like threes but love layups” and will look to score in transition.
“The key to basketball offense is making decisions, and defense is about solving problems,” Glaze said.
He added, “A lot of what we’re doing with them now is getting them comfortable with what we’re going offensively and defensively. I know the way we’ll play in pressuring the ball and the rotations we’ll work on are different from what they’ve had before.
“Offensively we’ll be playing with a little more pace. The Xs and Os and the system are the first part. As we get into the holidays and the new year, we’re going to continue to work on those details while getting our individual pieces that much better.”
With everything considered and the adversity of the preseason, it has not dampened Glaze’s expectations for the Bobcats.
“Our goal is always to win region,” Glaze said. “Everything we do is to make sure we’re preparing individually and as a team with the expectation and ambition to be the class of the region. You’re not going to reach that every year, but the standard is the standard, and we’ve got some really good teams in our region.
“When we do what we do and play with discipline, I truly think this is going to be a team that can play with anybody down the stretch.”
GHS began its season Nov. 8 with a 68-62 victory over Dawson County.