Crawford likes Timberwolves entering year

November 12, 2012

West Oktibbeha basketball coach Danny Crawford instructs his team during the summer. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

MABEN – It is basketball season and if you ask coach Danny Crawford about the West Oktibbeha Timberwolves, you can sense the excitement event before he starts talking.

“I am ready for this season,” Crawford said. “We have four boys that are being recruited heavily, so I am excited and ready to see them compete this year. We have already won one game, so that has me even more excited to see what is to come.”

Dantaveous Crawford is one of those players that coach Crawford is looking forward to watching this season. A “definite leader,” the coach feels that Dantaveous Crawford might just be “one of the best players in the entire state of Mississippi” if he can “keep his head on his shoulders both on and off the court.”

Coach Crawford knows that Dantavious Crawford is not the only one that will have to focus on things both on and off the court.

The Mississippi Department of Education applied sanctions to the West Oktibbeha school system based off academic accreditation standards. The sanctions will not only have an effect on the academic system, but will affect athletics as well.

With the sanctions the Timberwolves will only be allowed to compete in a limited number of games, which not only shortens the season, it eliminates any West Oktibbeha postseason action.

“Our overall goal is to play competitively every game, but we also have to focus on things off the court,” coach Crawford said. “Our season has already been cut and so now I just want to make sure our players make the most of everything and are successful on and off the court.”