Canes Boys Basketball Team Is Working During Summer

By CHRIS BRIDGES

The Jasper County-Monticello High School boys basketball team already has its eye on a return to the postseason for the 2021-2022 season.

Coach Chris Pennamon’s squad has been practicing and playing summer league games during the month of June.

“We have a lot of young players,” the coach said. “We have been competitive even though we have competed without our entire roster at times. Some of our players are practicing football, resting for a couple of hours and then taking the court for a basketball game.”

The Canes have competed at Stockbridge High School. They also defeated Lamar County and played Eastside High School to a 32-32 halftime tie before running out of steam in the second half.

A battle with Social Circle High School last week was a game in which the Canes only had seven players.

“We don’t like making excuses but we didn’t have our full team,” Pennamon said.

In terms of the region for the upcoming season, the Canes coach said he expects Washington County and Northeast-Macon to be two of the top teams.

“Washington County will always be good and Northeast didn’t lose any of their key players,” Pennamon said. “I believe we should be competitive in our region. We are definitely looking to get back to the state tournament. Once you are in the dance then anything can happen.”

Other teams in the region also have the potential to do well. Southwest-Macon returns with a new coach and Pennamon said Bleckley County will be in the mix.

“Dodge County started three or four freshman last season,” the coach said. “The region as a whole will be very interesting. To be one of the teams to get in the top four will come down to execution.”

Jasper County-Monticello will host a showcase event on Saturday with numerous schools competing including some from Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. Each team will play at least two games.

“It gives everyone a chance to play some different opponents,” Pennamon said. “This will be our last event as a team for the summer.”

The coach said this offseason has gone much smoother than a year ago.

“We were never able to build team chemistry last season,” he said. “COVID-19 was a crazy thing to deal with.”