NEW COVE TRADITION

Copperas Cove head basketball coach Billy White Jr. recalled memories from his youth when explaining why he decided to resume a tradition that has been missing in Cove for a long time – a boys’ varsity basketball tournament.

 

For the first time in 12 years, the Bulldawgs are hosting the inaugural Dawg Pound Showdown this weekend at Bulldawg Gymnasium. 

 

“I just wanted to bring an exciting weekend of basketball to Copperas Cove,” he said. “When I was a kid, we had a high school varsity tournament in our town and we looked forward to that time. That’s also why I added the dunk contest and three-point contest as well. As a kid, that was something I also looked forward to going to watch it during the tournament.”

 

Coach White is proud to return that tradition and even more proud of the way they opened it up. The Dawgs held the Waco High Lions to just 35 points while more than doubling that output in their 71-35 win to kick off the tourney at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.

 

“It feels great, especially the way we did it,” said White. The kids came out played pretty well and hard this early in the morning and I was proud of that.”

 

They played so well that he rested his starters from most of the second half as his team continued to pull away from the Lions.

 

The Dawgs are coming off a strong performance at the Marble Falls Subway Classic where they made an undefeated run to the championship game.

 

White wanted to see that trend continue in their host tournament.

 

“The main thing I wanted to see from them was to come out and be active on defense,” he said. “I think they definitely did that. We limited them to two points and, I think, five points in the first and third quarters. I think that was a big part 

 

Also competing in the tournament is Aggieland Home School, Richland, Round Rock Cedaer Ridge and Mornington from Australia.

 

The Dawgs returned to action last night at approximately 5:20 p.m. against Cedar Ridge and hosted a dunk contest/three-point contest following the game. Results of the game and dunk/three-point contest not available at press time. 

 

The Dawgs resume action at 9 a.m. this morning against the Mornington squad, with several Division I commits on the roster, and will play Richland this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

 

The Dawgs conclude pool play against Aggieland at 12:20 p.m. on tomorrow morning.

 

Coach White wants to let basketball fans know they can expect some high-quality basketball and they should come out to support their Bulldawgs as they embark on a new Copperas Cove tradition.

 

“You are going to see a lot of exciting basketball out here,” he said. “We have a lot of good teams and good players coming in this weekend and there will be a lot of exciting basketball. If you have any interest in basketball, this would be the weekend to come in.”

 

Game start times run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 12:20 on Saturday. The 7:00 p.m. game between Cedar Ridge and Aggieland tonight will be held in the old gym by the front lobby as they Lady Dawgs open District 8-6A play against the Belton Lady Tigers with a 7 p.m. tip-off in Bulldawg Gymnasium.

 

With just one final game against Temple before the district slate opens against the new 8-6A team, San Angelo Central, White hopes to see vast improvement through the tournament.

 

“Each game, I want to see us getting better,” he said. “Each game, I want us executing, blocking out and rebounding, defending the way we want to and making free throws the way we need to. We just want to get better each game so we’ll be in tip-top shape when we do hit our district season.”