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Mixson gives keys for upcoming season
By Michael Butler
Keiven Mixson has produced six winning seasons in his six years as head coach of the Tallassee High School varsity boys basketball team. There have been three area tournament championships, two area tourney runner-up finishes, five sub-regional playoff appearances and one regional trip.
At the end of an 11-10 campaign last season, Mixson talked about his aspirations for the program going forward.
“Our goal is still to win a state championship,” he said. “Tallassee is really making a name for itself.”
The Tigers are back in the same area with Valley, a team that did win it all last season. Tallassee fell in the sub-regional round of the playoffs to Clay Central 61-53 making just six of 25 free throws in the defeat.
“You shoot less than 50 percent from free throw line and you won’t win many games,” said Mixson. “Hitting free throws, winning the rebounding war each game and not turning ball over are the three things that win basketball games.”
Tallassee graduated eight seniors. A couple of returnees to watch this season include 6-4 junior shooting guard Rowen Thornton and 5-9 point guard Jaiden Gordon, who started as a seventh grader last season. Gordon is still a student at Southside Middle School.
“We’re undersized this season,” Mixson added. “We will have to use our guards' quickness to create turnovers. Executing our line rules on defense, using angles and not using our hands on defense but moving our feet will be key. We will be stunting and pressing. Knowing our rotations will also be a key. I think our depth will help, but we are young and inexperienced as a whole.”
The season tips off on Monday, Nov. 13 at Marbury. The junior varsity starts at 4:30 followed by the varsity girls and boys games.
Mixson Record
2017-18: 15-12
2018-19: 22-8
2019-20: 27-5
2020-21: 11-7
2021-22: 10-9
2022-23: 11-10
Overall: 96-51 |
