Coach Gene Durden has seen many talented classes pass through the doors of Buford High School during his thirteen years as the Head Coach for the Lady Wolves Varsity Basketball team. Few classes can rival the sort of success the Class of 2018 has accomplished. This group won a State Championship their freshman year as well as their junior year. In their sophomore year they were in the State Final Four. Their record up to this point is 112 wins to only 14 losses in their four year career at Buford High School. A win at the GHSA AAAAA State Basketball Championship game on Thursday, March 8th would tie them with the Class of 2011 who brought home three state titles during their tenure at BHS.
The ten Seniors have built a tight bond and it shows on the court and off. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Several of the Class of 2018 have been playing together for years as they came up through rec league. Anyone watching them play can see the time spent on the court together has forged these ladies into a cohesive unit. One notices they don’t have to yell to find an open player because these girls know where the others will be.
It’s this experience and bond that will be a huge benefit to their team come Thursday night where they will play Flowery Branch for the AAAAA State Championship title. Buford and Flowery Branch have encountered each other three times this season with Buford emerging the victors each game although Flowery Branch never made it easy. It will be even more difficult this fourth meeting because each team knows what the other team is capable of. When asked what he thinks will be the deciding factor at this game, Coach Durden said, “It will come down to defense and who can execute their game plan.”
Win or lose, the Class of 2018 Lady Wolves will have earned their spot in the history books at Buford High School. They are class acts that have bright futures ahead of them and will no doubt continue to make their hometown proud.
