From March 2009:

Many people have not been able to attend as many basketball games this year as they would have liked. It will not take much to bring you up to speed on the Chamblee boys’ basketball team. The varsity boys had a very successful season with strong showings against many of the high-profile teams in the area, but like any sports team, Chamblee had their ups and downs on the court. Their shift from incredible play to mediocre may at times seem random, but read closely as patterns tend to emerge.
Here is a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of a typical basketball game with the Bulldogs.
1st Quarter: After the intense pre-game warmups and preparation, the boys come out very strong, like in the game against the Tucker Tigers on January 16. Both teams came out playing very quick and intense basketball, with nine fouls in the first five minutes. The offense consisted of moving the ball and driving hard to the basket.
“First quarter sets the tone for the game,” said starting center Marcus Cowan. “We try and see what the other team is about.”
“During the entire game against Tucker I think we played as a team. It was our best game of the season,” said starting point guard Langston Hall. “Overtime was hard because Shaq [Marcus Cowan] fouled out, but we managed to pull through. We had a lot of ball movement and there wasn’t just one person taking all the shots.”
2nd Quarter: Although the boys come out with a lot of energy in the first quarter, it sometimes takes them until the second quarter to get into a rhythm. Now, they are more likely to slow the game down and focus more on accuracy and play-making. Often, the second quarter is where Chamblee picks it up and gains the lead.
“Second quarter is where we do most of our damage,” said starting guard Karl Moten.
3rd Quarter: After halftime, there is a very good chance that the boys will come out with significantly less fire than the first half, arguably the most prominent characteristic of their play. They are slow on the break and the plays are very flat. There are a lot of missed free throws and like in the game against Marist on January 23, their overall field goal percentage is very low. Since the Bulldogs are not very aggressive, this causes them to have to work their way back into the game.
“In third quarters there is a lack of focus,” said head coach Caesar Burgess. “The chemistry is just off.”
4th Quarter: You can not keep the dogs down for long. After their lackluster performance in the third quarter, Chamblee is likely to come back very strong in an attempt to regain their lead. Whether out of desperation or renewed energy, the fourth quarter is characterized by rapid play similar to the first half, more three-pointers, and a higher scoring percentage.
“We go ham [hard] in the fourth quarter,” said Cowan. “Anyone can tell we want it.”
The patterns shown here are certainly not going unnoticed by the coaches or the players. All season the team has worked hard to play their game all four quarters.
The Bulldogs have had a tough season but managed to pull through with an overall record of 18-5. One of the biggest losses of the season was the game against Stone Mountain on February 18. In the end the boys lost, 48-46, after being down the entire game. “Tug-of-war” is the only term that can be used to describe this upsetting yet intense game which would determine who would move on to the semi-finals of the 6A-AAAA state playoffs.
“We did not come to play,” said starting guard Wayne Hunt. “But we did make a comeback in the fourth quarter from ten to one.”
This loss upset the fans, the coaches, the players, and many of those who supported the Bulldogs. Everyone expected the boys to do big things with all of the skill and talent that the players have. Although undeniably disappointing, this loss ended an overall terrific season for the team.
“That was probably the most disappointing loss I ever had,” said Burgess. “We worked so hard to build up expectations, [ . . . ] I feel sorry for the seniors who didn’t get to play in the state tournament.”