Ronnie Bottoms Quotations

If you had told me we were going to score 81 points tonight before the game, I'd have said no, but they kept gambling (on defense), and our guys did a nice job of making them pay for gambling.

Carter did a good job roaming the middle. South Laurel won the state last year because they play great defense. We knew they would double Brian. When they did, we had to dive to the basket, and that's what Clay did, and we did a good job getting him the ball.

We've played a tough schedule, including six teams in the top 20. South Laurel is a good team. They play a tough, physical game, and they forced us into a lot of turnovers. But I like my team. Southwestern and Lincoln County are rated above us. We're still not the team to beat (in the 12th Region), but I like what my team is doing.

We're proud of the football program. We have four or five football kids on the basketball team. I think it gives us an edge as far as mentality. Our program wants the success the football program has been.

I think he has improved his game more than anyone in the area. He just continues to get better and better. He is beginning to show a lot of senior leadership and is getting more confident in his game every night.

I think they're a top-five team in our region, and we want to get there. We told them it'd be nice feather in our caps to get this one.

We played hard and overall I was pleased with our effort. There were times when we didn't seem to be focused, as shown by our 18 turnovers. I would say that 15 of those were self inflicted. We did have 16 assists, though, and I think the team is realizing what the extra pass will do for you.

Brian doesn't score 40 without those guys doing what they did tonight. We did a great job of passing the ball, and Brian did a great job of moving without the ball.

We ran into a team that was more athletic and better prepared. They were a team that is more experienced in the atmosphere that we played in. The press hurt us.

They've got all the parts and coach Edwards has them playing really, really well here in the last couple of weeks. I don't think anybody's giving Mercer County any credit.