Calhoun County meets Greenville today for the Class A public school state championship

After last year’s gut-wrenching loss to Wilkinson County in the Class A Public School state semifinals, the Calhoun County High School boys basketball team will not be happy with anything less than a state championship this afternoon when they tackle Greenville at 4:45 p.m. at the Macon Coliseum.

Calhoun coach Marcus Shaw has said all season this year’s team has been a focused group. They are searching for the school’s first state basketball title since 1997.

“This has been a good season for us, but our kids are not satisfied,” Shaw said. “They all have the same goals of being state champions.”

After last Saturday’s semifinal win over Treutlen, there was no celebrating amongst the Calhoun County players.The players insisted there were higher goals to achieve.

“Our kids have a bigger goal in mind, and that is to win a state championship,” Shaw said. “They all are aware that the win in the final four game was great, but it was just a game which we had to get through to reach our goal.”

Though they still have unfinished business to take care of this afternoon, Shaw has been pleased with the season his team has had and offered praises for his squad.

“We have an awesome group of kids in which I couldn’t ask for any better,” Shaw said.

He also had high praise for his assistant coaches — Stacy Carter and Rod Molden.

“We have a couple of great assistant coaches,” Shaw said. “The guys have faced many challenges throughout the season in which they formed a strong bond, which is what it took to reach this point. Our program is one big family in which we all trust and believe in each other.”

The Cougars have gone 54-5 in the past two seasons.

Shaw knows that one massive hurdle lies in their way of achieving their ultimate goal — Greenville. The Patriots are currently 28-2, having reached the state finals by knocking off Hancock Central in the other semifinal game last Saturday.

“Anytime you reach the finals, you are expected to play a very good opponent and Greenville is that,” Shaw said. “We must continue to play with the same intensity and urgency that we have been playing with throughout the state tournament. We must remain focused throughout the entire contest, executing on both ends of the court in order to win the state championship.”

Should the Cougars (29-2) topple Greenville and win the title today, they’ll finally celebrate.