The more things change for the Norcross boys basketball program, the more they stay the same. Former head coach Eddie Martin led the Blue Devils to three straight state titles from 2006 to 2008. The first title came after five 2005 graduates went on to play college basketball. Four more future college players, including Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks, departed before the second championship. Still three others, Georgia Tech’s Gani Lawal among them, took their talents to college prior to last season’s three-peat.
By no means has Norcross already secured the 2009 Class 5A state title, but things are looking good once again despite an offseason even more turbulent than the previous three. This time, not only did the Blue Devils lose Canisius signee A.J. Hawkins and Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu, but Martin also went out on top. Martin, who led Norcross to the Elite 8, the Sweet 16 and the state championship game in the three seasons prior to the three titles, headed back to Greater Atlanta Christian, where his coaching career began 30 years ago. He left Norcross with a stunning 170-18 record.
Almost as stunning is the Blue Devils’ start to the 2008-09 season. To say they haven’t skipped a beat with new head coach Jesse McMillan at the helm would be an understatement. Norcross is 8-1, 6-0 against in-state competition (all six in Region 7-AAAAA). The Blue Devils’ only loss came on Dec. 29 at the Bojangles Shootout in Charlotte to nationally-ranked Bishop McNamara of Washington, D.C. In that game, Norcross had to deal with Pittsburgh signee Talib Zanna and Rashad Whack, who has verbally committed to George Mason, but the final score was a tense 59-56.
Sure it’s just a start, but with 6-foot-6 senior Ariel Jones and 6-7 junior Adrian Hubbard still on board, a fourth straight state championship appears to be well within reach for McMillan and the Blue Devils.
“I want to continue what has been established,” McMillan said of the powerhouse program.
McMillan, who was an assistant for all six of Martin’s seasons at Norcross, credits Martin with preparing him to step in and carry on the Blue Devil tradition of dominance.
“Coach Martin valued my opinion and took my advice,” McMillan explained. “He might not always went with it, but I felt I was there as a peer and not subservient. Now we have to keep it going.”
GIRLS STEPPING UP
The Norcross girls, meanwhile, are also going in the right direction. After finishing the 2006-07 season with a 7-19 record, the Blue Devils improved to 13-11 last year. Now, they are really taking off. Norcross is 8-4 overall and 5-1 in Region 7.
Most impressively, Norcross recently put a major scare into New York’s St. Michael Academy, the No. 1 team in the nation according to ESPN. On Dec. 29 at the Bojangles Shootout, the Blue Devils led almost the entire way before the Eagles forced overtime and eventually survived 66-61.
“I don’t think people expected us to do what we did,” said head coach Angie Hembree of the valiant effort. “But our kids are going to fight.”
Fighting against the odds is exactly what the boys and girls hoops programs at Norcross have been doing early in the season. With the girls emerging from a stretch of mediocrity and the boys rising from the ashes of a tumultuous offseason, the basketball buzz at Norcross is resonating once again.
Dimon can be reached at rdimon@scoreatl.com.
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