A week ago, a cloud of uncertainty surrounded the No. 5 Bulldogs as they prepared to play their first playoff game against the No. 4 Sheridan Generals.
Boasting a 15-4 record and a pair of 6-foot-5 players in Stan Knox and Dylan Dupler, Sheridan appeared to be a tough out for Athens, as the Bulldogs went just 2-8 against teams with a record over .500 in the regular season.
But thanks to a game-winning layup from senior Griffin Lutz and a team-leading performance from junior Dalton Cozart, Athens prevailed.
The Bulldogs (14-9) will need a similar, if not better performance, to keep their season alive as they play the No. 1-seeded Miami Trace Panthers (17-3) on Thursday night at The Convo.
Athens did well in many categories in its win last Friday, but coach Mickey Cozart knows his team will need to be at its best in all facets to win and advance to the District Final.
"(Miami Trace plays) up-tempo, and they like to pressure the ball," Mickey said. "We just have to limit our turnovers and play smart basketball. They're good, and they shoot a lot, and they're not afraid to shoot the ball on one pass."
In the win against Sheridan, Lutz, Athens' most reliable shooter, was shut down throughout the game. He finished with just 10 points. Luckily for the Bulldogs, Dalton was able to fill the void by totaling 22 points.
While Sheridan's plan of applying extra pressure on Lutz nearly worked, Mickey isn't expecting to see the same formula from Miami Trace.
"Sheridan really wanted to clog the middle of the court up and take away what Griffin did best, and that’s attacking the rim," Mickey said. "I don’t see Miami Trace trying that."
If Mickey's prediction holds true, his team could be in line to perform another upset if it plays to the same intensity that it did Saturday night. Any further contributions from Lutz would spell danger for the Panthers.
"Maybe they’ll run some box-and-one on him, but I highly doubt that," Mickey said. "Griffin’s going to have a big game in The Convo.”
