Dunwoody Boys Basketball Looks to Bounce Back from 1-2 Start

Dunwoody High's boys basketball team might have regained just the needed momentum.

Just in time.

After beginning the season with losses to Peachtree Ridge and Riverdale in Parkview's 14th annual Tip-Off Classic, the Wildcats believe they found their footing by beating Winder-Barrow, just in time to begin Region 6-AAAA Division A play on Tuesday at Marist.

"We're a young team figuring out our identity and realizing we can be a solid team," Wildcats coach Adam Griffin said. "A lot of problems in those first two games weren't basketball issues, but ones of inexperience and youth. In that third game, we relaxed and let the game come to us, instead of forcing the issue."

Dunwoody has been competitive, despite graduating eight players, including six now playing in college. The Wildcats hung with Peachtree Ridge and Riverdale but lost 59-49 and 61-50, respectively. Yet they showed their resilience in dominating Winder-Barrow, 47-29.

So far, Dunwoody has found a variety of leaders. Sophomore forward Kelvin Brown paced the Wildcats with 17 points against Peachtree Ridge and 16 against Riverdale. The team's only returner with significant minutes last season, junior guard Darrell Strozier, had a team-high 16 points, four steals and four assists versus Winder-Barrow. Junior point guard David Ani scored 13 and Strozier 12 against Riverdale. Brown chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and a block against Winder-Barrow.

More performances like the one against Winder-Barrow could get the Wildcats back to the state playoffs for the first time since 2008, when they reached the AAA semifinals under former coach Scott Bracco.

Griffin was pleased by his players' 13-0 run to lead Winder-Barrow 13-2, as well as holding Winder-Barrow scoreless for all but the last seven seconds of the second quarter.

"It was totally a team game," Griffin said. "Our communication on the defensive end was much better, and we got some really good shots, too."

Beating Marist will be challenging, considering the Wildcats (1-2) haven't played the War Eagles in at least the last half dozen seasons, despite begin so few miles from one another.

Griffin feels he knows Marist somewhat, considering Eagles assistant coach Ryan Hodges was his coach at Salem in the late 1990s. After scouting Marist in its scrimmage against Sandy Creek, Griffin said he's surprised Marist enters Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. season opener unranked in the state coaches' poll.

"Nobody is talking about Marist, but I think they can beat anybody," Griffin said. "They might be the surprise team in our region nobody sees coming."

Griffin pointed out an initial subregion win is vital to a young Dunwoody team seeking its identity. He said Parkview's tournament was an ideal opportunity to experiment for games that count beginning Tuesday.

"The Parkview tournament allowed us to change some of our substitution patterns and find some combinations that work well in certain situations," Griffin said. "We're focused on coming out every night and putting ourselves in contention to win."