Andy looks for good ‘new season’ start

By Andrew Garner (Contact) | Andalusia Star-News

Published Friday, February 5, 2010

Andalusia coach Richard Robertson said that tonight’s game is the start of a new season for his team.

“With what we’ve done now, the record doesn’t mean a thing,” he said. “It’s a one game season until finals until the area and the sub-region. If you lose, then you’re out.”

No. 6 Andalusia will starts its first round of the Class 4A, Area 3 tournament against Hillcrest-Evergreen tonight at 7, who they beat twice in regular season area games.

Robertson said the main goal for his team in this tournament is to keep home court advantage.

“We’ve got the home court, and we need to stay at home,” he said. “My job is Andalusia High School and that’s what I’ve been working on.”

At the end of its regular season, Andalusia finished with a 22-4 record. The Bulldogs finished with more losses in the second half (10-3) of the season than the first half (12-1).

“I realize that our schedule was probably tougher in the second half,” Robertson said. “Everybody has gotten better ever since. We want to play as well as we can, but we haven’t done that yet.”

Andalusia and Clarke County are the top two seeded teams leading into the area tournament tonight. Thomasville is at No. 3 and Hillcrest-Evergreen is at No. 4.

Robertson said that any team in the area can win it.

“You can look at the pairing and drawings and realize we all can beat each other,” he said. “We don’t have a weak team in the area.”

When asked whether his team’s practice routine changes leading up to the area tournament, Robertson said, “we’re going to do whatever it takes.”