Raider head basketball coach Steve Crouse hopes a strong, pressing defense can be his team’s calling card this year and he’ll stress that philosophy during the summer session.
Following a 4-21 season, Madison County started summer workouts this past Tuesday. Crouse said the team will spend much of its time focusing on elevating its pressure defense to create more opportunities for offense.
“I’m really excited,” Crouse said. “I think it’s going to be a good summer.”
Crouse also wants to target what’s been an eyesore on the stat sheet in recent years for the Raiders — free throw shooting. Madison County has shot below 60 percent from the charity stripe the last two seasons, something the coach said must change.
“That’s not acceptable,” Crouse said.
Offensively, post player Patrick McCrary will continue to be Madison County’s go-to player as the Raiders look toward their offensive plans for next year.
“He’s going to be a key component to our offensive structure,” Crouse said.
Crouse has added more scrimmages this summer, which will allow more time to tweak schemes and tinker with putting players at different spots. The Raiders will play 28 times, “which is more than we play in a season,” Crouse noted.
Those practice games will be spread out over a busy month of June in venues at Hart County, Jackson County and Banks County along with team camp trips to Piedmont College and Georgia College and State University. The Raiders will take part in some situational tournaments in which they will be tested in specific game scenarios.
Crouse said the beauty of the summer is trying to sort things out when the games don’t count against you.
“Summer is a time to compete against your best effort and look at tweaking a few things here and there,” Crouse said.
Despite some trying moments during last year — the Raiders lost 11 games by nine points or less — Crouse is energized for the summer session as he enters his ninth year as Madison County’s head coach.
“We’re excited about the chance to get back on the court,” Crouse said.
