PREP HOOPS PREVIEW: Lady Trojans out to prove region title was no fluke

ALBANY – They’re the defending region champs, but they don’t act like it.

The Dougherty Lady Trojans upended Region 1-AAA heavyweight Westover in the region title game last year in a low-scoring affair that nobody expected. Then, they started hearing whispers.

“Everybody thinks that game was given to us, but it really wasn’t,” Dougherty senior guard Shawntal Byrd said.

WHO: Albany vs. Dougherty.

WHAT: Season opener for both the boys and girls teams.

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Saturday — girls game; 8:30 p.m. Saturday — boys game.

WHERE: Albany Civic Center.

To add insult to verbal injury, the Lady Trojans were beaten at home as the No. 1 seed in the first round of the Class AAA playoffs and ended a remarkable run at 18-7 in 2011. Fluke or not, the region title can’t be taken away, but you can sense the competitive chip on these Lady Trojans’ shoulders headed into Saturday’s season opener against Albany High at the Civic Center.

They want to prove last year’s region championship was no joke.

“Everybody’s going to try to come back harder because we’re the region champs,” senior forward Terrianna Martin said.

Dougherty is equipped to do it with three returning starters and a backcourt that rivals any in Southwest Georgia. Martin and forward Jayla Hooper can beat and bang in the paint with anybody around. Hooper is a double-double machine, having failed to record 10 points and 10 rebounds in a game fewer times than she can count on one hand.

Byrd will run the show in her final year after showing glimpses of all-region ability last year.

“I’ve been doing it for three years,” Byrd said. “I’m ready. I feel like I’m in a big spot and everybody is depending on me. I’ve got to step up real big this year.”

Turnovers and struggles at the free-throw line plagued the Lady Trojans a season ago, but they’ve put in the work to rectify those troubles. Hooper shoots free throws one-handed, which keeps the off hand from influencing the shot, and Martin has joined her in the technique.

Byrd, who will be joined in the frontcourt by junior guard Quannesha Gatlin and sophomore forward Ra’Keta Shelton, said she’s improved her distribution prowess.

“They’re on me a lot about limiting turnovers because turnovers equal points for the other team,” Byrd said. “I’ve gotten better in making decisions.”

The 2011 region title is theirs, but the Lady Trojans would prefer to do it again just to prove a point. Asked what being the defending region champ means this season, Hooper made it clear.

“It means we’ve got to come back stronger,” she said.