ITG Next spoke with head girls basketball coach, Gene Durden, from Buford High School. Here’s what he had to say.
Q: Coach Durden, your team is on a roll right now with an impressive winning streak. Do you feel like your team is playing its best basketball at the right time of the season?
A: I am very proud of this team right now due to all the challenges we have had to endure this season. We have had key injuries on many players and our team just keeps finding a way to get it done. I’m hoping to go into the tournaments playing our best of the season.
Q: Coaches always say the first goal in any sport is to take care of their region, and you and your Lady Wolves have certainly done that, with I believe your last region loss coming in 2016. Is that a top priority going into every season?
A: Yes, we are always having the goal of winning the region tournament. The other part of this that is so important, is that this will give you home court advantage in the state playoffs. We are always trying to achieve the best possible road in the playoffs.
Q: Coach, you enjoyed four straight state championships before the streak was broken last season. How would you sum up this year’s team?
A: Again, this year has been a challenge. We have had key injuries, COVID-19 issues, and many other challenges to this season. We always play such a great out of region schedule that is so challenging, so I would have to say that this has been another great year for our program. I know that many of our players have had to grow up quickly and this will help us in future years.
Q: Coach Durden, you are now in your 34th season as a head basketball coach, and 16th at Buford. How has the game changed over those seasons to where it is now, if at all?
A: I see the game changing almost yearly. I think you have to start with the players changing first. Many think players have not changed, but I truly think they have changed due to changes in their lives. Social media can be an example to be used with how players have changed. It used to be that players really had only two voices in their heads, parents and coaches. Now players have so many people telling them different things and most young people will go to the voice they want to hear and not what they need to hear. This is also challenging. This even affects parents. As far as the game, everything filters down. From the NBA to the college level and from the college level to the high school level, everything filters down and changes the game. One thing I have learned in my coaching career is that change is inevitable and my biggest challenge is to be able to adapt without compromising.
