Cougars
James Scott is running a play with his team during a timeout at the first round of the class 2a sectionals Tuesday against Lighthouse. The cougars defeated the Lions 72-42.
Heading into the postseason, Scott expressed how his coaching staff always refers to it as a seven-game season. The Cougars won the first of their seven-game state run Tuesday against Lighthouse, 72-42.
Scott is a seasoned Region coach having previously led Bowman to two state titles, and coaching at Roosevelt for a few years. He was formerly an assistant coach at 21st Century before coaching at Calumet College for two years.
After taking over in December, his main job was reassurance.
"I was here to stay, but the kids didn't know that," he said during practice on Thursday. "My job was to reassure them that I'm here for the long haul. When they figured that out, they adapted quick."
Sophomore Ronald Mosley was hopeful there would be a difference with the program once Scott walked through the doors. Scott hasn't disappointed him, Mosley said.
"I read his history, his resume, what he did in the past," Mosley said. "He's very hard on us. He makes sure we push ourselves."
Mosley said he truly earned his respect for Scott after being benched as part of punishment for not wearing the Cougars' matching team shoes during a game in January. Watching the game from the sidelines helped Mosley realize he always has to depend on his teammates to succeed — it's never a one man game.
Scott said Mosley's attitude has been his biggest improvement this season. Though he's only 5-foot8, with his shooting skills and determination to drive the ball to the paint, you'd think he was 6-foot-5, Scott said.
"One of the things I'm always reverting back to is dedication," Scott said. "If you're dedicated, you work hard to achieve it. Once my kids understood my dedication, their level changed from what is what, to what it is now."
The Cougars dedication has led them to impressive wins against dominant 4A schools including Munster and West Side. The 60-59 win against Munster has been Donaldson's most memorable moment this season because it proved the Cougars' — a 2A school — can compete with some of the best in the Region.
With 21st Century's last loss coming to East Chicago on Jan. 19, Donaldson is proud to say his team has truly learned how to play for one another, compared to playing for themselves.
Before the season, Mosley constantly heard "barber shop talk" about how his team would only win a handful of games. Mosley said his team feels good heading into Friday's semifinal game against Whiting as it seeks its 20th win overall this season.
21st Century earned the Class 2A regional title last year, but fell short in the semistate semifinal. With only two returning starters from last year's roster, Scott said their hard work speaks volumes to the team's achievements.
The ultimate goal for the Cougars is to win state. There is no "waiting until next year," he said. His boys understand how hard it is to win all seven postseason games and are working their "behinds" off to do it.
"With all the trials and tribulations that this team faced in the beginning of the season — at the end of the season for them to be playing so well and dedicated to what we're trying to get accomplished speaks volumes of what kinds of kids we have," Scott said.
