Godby basketball knocks off Lincoln, first year coach Williams enjoying new role
When Alex Willaims took the Godby basketball head coaching role, the former FAMU DRS football coach was putting his first love, basketball, first.
Switching his gridiron coaching digs for a polo dawned with Godby's famous Cougar paw print, Williams is enjoying life in his new role. In his first season on the hardwood, his Cougars sit at 9-5 after stunning Lincoln (12-3) 54-49, ending the Trojans nine-game winning streak.
"To come in here tonight with those guys as well coached and trained as they are, and for my guys to ultimately come out victorious, that means the most," Williams said. "I'm gonna have this smile probably until tomorrow's game time."
Beating the Trojans on the road, Godby snapped a two-game losing streak and got some season momentum back and Williams thinks Friday's win showed his team's maturation.
"My guys are resilient, and I've been saying that since the beginning of the season. Maybe the record doesn't show it, but my guys are resilient," Williams said. "We didn't change anything all we did was come out and stick to our same game plan. Last week, the week before that, all of that prepared us for this moment and this moment will prepare us for the next one."
Staying ready for the moment is something that Williams has preached to the Godby team, and with district tournament play slowing coming into view, the Cougars head coach thinks each game prepares his team for the postseason.
With eight games remaining on the Cougars' schedule, the final stretch of the season pits Godby against some of the area's top teams. A rematch with Lincoln, another dual with Rickards and dates with Florida High and St. John Paul II awaits the team, but Williams thinks those games are the best way to prepare for the playoffs.
"There is nothing like being in between those lines and being in these kinds of atmospheres that you know are what you will play in come postseason," Williams said. "When you get into the postseason, you need to have some of these games under your belt and honestly speaking, maybe some of them you don't come out on top, but you then know what you need to adjust."
Getting a win over the Trojans in a rivalry game that needs no introduction to those in the Big Bend, Williams said the victory was a big moment for the Cougars.
"It means that most for the kids because they understand the tradition and the history in which they have just taken part in," Williams said.
For the Trojans, Godby played spoiler for a potentially historic night. Lincoln head coach, and legendary former Godby head coach, Andy Colville was closing in on his 500th career victory, but the storybook ending wasn't meant to be on Friday night.
The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Trojans, but it is only the third loss of the season for the program. In year two under Colville, Lincoln has taken a leap forward from year one under Colville and is likely to be a threat in the 6A district, regional and state tournaments.
Playing a district opener against Chiles on Tuesday, Jan. 16, Colville will have a chance to claim his historic victory over the Timberwolves.
Both Godby and Lincoln won't have to wait long to play each other again, with the rematch scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 18 at Godby High School, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.
Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Godby basketball down Lincoln, enjoying life under new coach Alex Williams
