By Joe Wilson, Assistant Online Editor
After a mediocre season last year, the Reynolds men’s basketball team is undergoing a transformation.
With several new players added to the roster, coach Billy Martin is initiating a new style of play that he hopes will help the team find success in the difficult Central Piedmont 4-A Conference.
“Last year was OK, but it was still a little disappointing,” Martin said. “We made the playoffs, but our overall record wasn’t as good as I had hoped.”
In a strong conference that includes perennial powerhouses such as Mount Tabor, Reagan and West Forsyth, just making the playoffs would have been an accomplishment for many teams last year, and this season looks to be just as challenging.
“This conference is always tough,” Martin said. “Tabor and Reagan are good every year, and West looks good this year.”
In order to deal with such competition, the team has had to adapt in the offseason. These adaptations are aided by the addition of several players new to the varsity team. Sophomores Will Blackard and Akia Pruitt, and juniors Sam Bryant, Brandon Williams and Taris Young will all play varsity for their first time this season.
“We’ve got different personnel this year, so with that comes a different style of play,” Martin said. “Our style of play is going to factor into how successful we’ll be.”
Martin did not go into detail about what this new style of play entails, but he did mention “it’ll be a lot more fun to play, and we’ll get more people involved.” The team’s strategy will be on display tonight (Tuesday, Nov. 19) in their opener against Carver.
In addition to this season’s new players, Martin will look to his seniors to lead the team’s makeover.
“Hopefully our seniors — Hanif (Bilal), Terrell (Jones), Daniel (Watson) and Joe (Worrell) — will be leaders this season,” Martin said.
Changes in the roster and in strategy will be the leading factors in a more successful season, and Martin plans to put them together for a strong team: “Each year you have to figure out what to do to be the most successful with the team you’ve got,” Martin said.
Follow the Demons this season!
Nov. 19 | Carver | 7:30 |
Nov. 22 | East Forsyth | 7:30 |
Nov. 27 | Lexington-Roscoe Turner Classic at Parkland | 6:30 |
Nov. 30 | Atkins- Bobby Martin Classic at WMHS | 4:00 |
Dec. 3 | @ Carver | 7:30 |
Dec. 6 | @ East Forsyth | 7:30 |
Dec. 11 | @ Glenn | 7:30 |
Dec. 13 | Parkland | 7:30 |
Dec. 20 | Pinecrest | 7:00 |
Dec. 26-28 | Frank Spencer Tournament | TBA |
Jan. 3 | Davie County | 7:30 |
Jan. 7 | @ North Davidson | 7:30 |
Jan 8 | Surry Central | 8:15 |
Jan.10 | Mount Tabor | 7:30 |
Jan. 17 | @ West Forsyth | 7:30 |
Jan. 21 | Reagan | 7:30 |
Jan. 28 | @ Parkland | 7:30 |
Jan. 31 | @ Davie County | 7:30 |
Feb. 4 | @ Mount Tabor | 7:30 |
Feb. 7 | North Davidson | 7:30 |
Feb. 11 | West Forsyth | 7:30 |
Feb. 14 | @ Reagan | 7:30 |
Feb. 17-21 | Conference Tournament @MT | TBA |