Worland Warriors State Basketball Preview

THE WORLAND WARRIORS FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON 21-1, WON THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP AND ARE NOW GETTING SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT. IT WAS A NEARLY FLAWLESS SEASON FOR THE WARRIORS WHOSE ONLY LOSS CAME IN THE FINAL GAME OF THE REGULAR AGAINST LANDER. THE WARRIORS WOULD GET REDEMPTION FOR THAT LOSS IN THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DEFEATING THOSE SAME TIGERS 81-73. HEADING INTO THE STATE TOURNAMENT I TALKED WITH HEAD COACH OF THE WARRIORS AARON ABEL AND HE GIVES INSIGHT INTO HOW THE WARRIORS ARE PREPARING FOR THE STATE TOURNEY.

“MONDAY IS ALWAYS ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW YOUR OPPONENT. TUESDAY YOU WANT TO REALLY INSERT THE GAME-PLAN AND HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN WEDNESDAY’S JUST FINE TUNING. RUN THROUGH ALL OF YOUR STUFF, GIVE REMINDERS OF, WE LIKE TO CALL THEM SPECIAL TEAMS LIKE FOOTBALL, WHAT BASELINE OUT OF BOUNDS PLAYS DO THEY RUN. STUFF LIKE THAT.”

IN THE FIRST ROUND OF STATE THE WARRIORS ARE MATCHED-UP WITH A TEAM THEY HAVEN’T PLAYED SINCE THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON, BUFFALO. BACK IN DECEMBER THE WARRIORS EARNED THE WIN BUT WITH POSTSEASON HEAR THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS. AS THE TWO TEAMS PREPARE FOR THEIR FIRST ROUND RE-MATCH COACH OF THE WARRIORS AARON ABEL AND HE PREVIEWS THE MATCH-UP VS. THE BISON.

“THEY’VE GOT SOME GUYS THAT ARE PLAYING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ROLES THAN WHAT THEY HAD BACK IN DECEMBER. YOU KNOW THEY’VE GOT ATHLETES. THEY’VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY A WINNER IN NOT JUST BUT BASKETBALL BUT EVERY SPORT. THESE ARE GUYS THAT KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN IN THE POSTSEASON AND BIG MOMENTS. THEY’RE A TALENTED GROUP AND WE DID NOT GET A VERY EASY DRAW AS A REWARD FOR WINNING REGIONALS. SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET READY AND GET TO KNOW WHAT CHALLENGES BUFFALO WILL POSE FOR US AND LEARN HOW WE’RE GOING TO GUARD THEIR STUFF.”

AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON THEIR IS NOT MUCH THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE SCHEMATICALLY WISE, THAT BEING SAID DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS.

“WE JUST NEED TO, TO GUARD. YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT THE POSTSEASON ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO IS ARE YOU READY TO PLAY DEFENSE WITH THE INTENSITY AND ENERGY IT TAKES TO WIN IN THE POSTSEASON.”

AND WHILE BASKETBALL IS A TEAM SPORT COACH ABEL SAYS THEIR’S ONE PLAYER THAT COULD BE KEY FOR WORLAND IN TAKING HOME A STATE TITLE.

“WELL I THINK DEVON MERCADO HAS ALREADY KIND OF ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS THAT A LITTLE BIT. HE MISSED THE ENTIRE SEASON WITH A KNEE INJURY SUFFERED IN FOOTBALL AND HE CAME OFF THE BENCH AT REGIONALS AND WAS TREMENDOUS FOR US, ESPECIALLY DEFENSIVELY, TAKING AWAY THE OTHER TEAMS BEST PERIMETER PLAYER. SO WE’RE GOING TO USE HIM A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS WEEKEND AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN BE THAT GUY FOR US.”

THE WORLAND WARRIORS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM OPENS UP PLAY AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT IN CASPER ON THURSDAY VS. BUFFALO AT 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON. YOU CAN HEAR ALL OF WORLAND’S GAMES AT THE STATE TOURNEY ON OUR SISTER STATION, KWOR 1340AM AND 104.7FM. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR UPDATES AND RESULTS.