AIS striving to make first state playoff
Northside Neighbor, February 2, 2005
By Mike Rieman, Northside Neighbor Sports Editor
Atlanta International finished the 2001-2002 season 0-21 leaving the Eagles hoping for brighter days.
Head coach Clifford Waddy told his team after the third game that season that he did not believe that they would win another game that year.
While most players and coaches wouldn't be able to handle the adversity of such a difficult season, many of those Eagles, now seniors, find themselves 12-6 overall and 5-5 in Region 5N-A.
Now, the squad has hopes of making it to the state tournament for the first time in school history.
"Our goal right now is just to make it to state," said Waddy.
"During that tough time [three years ago] we had to focus down the road," Waddy added. "I told them that we were working for a goal and this year it is paying off for us."
After a 73-58 loss to S.W. Atlanta Christian to open the season Nov. 16, a game in which the Eagles led by five at halftime, Atlanta International went on an eight game winning streak behind the solid play of point guard Kallem Brooks and shooting guard Robert Doster.
Brooks, a transfer student from Australia, is averaging 26 points per game to go along with three assists.
He has scored 30 or more points five times this season.
Doster is averaging 21 points per contest and has only one game in which he did not score in double figures.
The Eagles have also been getting solid contributions from Nicolas Moise (8ppg, 5rpg), Marcus Morrissette (2ppg, 5rpg), Alex Tunsil (6 ppg) and Joaquin Carbonell (6ppg, 4 rpg, 2 assists).
Following their 8-1 start, the school's best start in AIS history, the Eagles stumbled a little following the Christmas break, losing five out of eight games starting with an 84-58 loss to St. Francis Jan. 4.
Most of their difficulties, according to Waddy have come because of a lack of depth.
"Our starting five can compete with anyone in the region but we don't have a lot of depth on our bench," said Waddy. "Other teams can go to their bench and bring in five more guys. We run out of gas and just can't maintain [momentum] and then we start turning the ball over."
Heading into action Tuesday night, the Eagles found themselves in third place in the Region 5-A North Division behind St. Francis and Whitefield Academy.
"I believe we will end up in a tie with Greenforest for third place in our region," said Waddy. "They are going to break the tie with a coin flip. Winning third or fourth will make a big difference."
If the Eagles were to win the coin flip and take third in the region they would face the sixth placed seed from the Region 5-A South Division in the first round of the tournament.
If they were to win that contest they would face the second place team from the Region 5-A South Division for the chance to qualify for state.
If they were to be seeded fourth they would most likely face the No. 1 seed from the Region 5-A South Division in the second round, which would most likely be powerful S.W. Atlanta Christian.
Although making it to the state tournament remains the ultimate goal for the Eagles, Waddy said he is happy that his seniors will go out with a winning record.
"I am very happy with our kids. These are same kids that went 0-21 three years ago," he said.
