Robertsdale’s new coach looking for competition

First-year Robertsdale coach Marshall Davis Jr. is working hard to build a program that hasn’t been known for its basketball success.

He believes a key ingredient in making strides is battling head-to-head against the best competition he can find.

With that in mind, Davis was eager to enter his team into the 26th Annual Dothan Progress/Dothan Eagle/Southern Star Holiday Prep Classic at the Ozark Civic Center presented by The Cochran Firm.

“We’re real excited because I believe this is one of the best tournaments in the state,” Davis said.

The Class 6A school located in southwest Alabama has already faced a rugged schedule in compiling a 7-5 record. The team has played Daphne, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A, twice.

“I’m just trying to change a lot of things,” Davis said. “The competition has been a little bit better. I’m trying to get the kids exposed to tougher competition.

“We went to a tournament recently at DeFuniak Springs and went 2-1. We’ve got this tournament (Prep Classic), and they’ve never played a lot of holiday tournaments here. There will be some growing pains.”

Davis was the junior varsity coach for two seasons before taking over the head coaching duties.

Robertsdale has just two seniors on its roster, and two juniors are the top scorers on the team.

Brandon Ellis, a 6-foot-3 forward, averages 20 points per game, and had a 44-point effort this season. Quenton Evans is a 6-foot guard who averages 14 points per game.

“We play a six or seven man rotation,” Davis said. “Everyone knows their role. Offensively we don’t have much height, so we like to spread it out and pass and cut.

“I’m a defensive guy and we’ll show you about four or five different defenses. We take defense serious like a lot of people do with offense.”

Robertsdale will be playing McIntosh, ranked No. 8 in Class 1A, on Dec. 27th in the Prep Classic beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Davis is a graduate of McIntosh, and his father is the athetics director. Davis is also longtime friends with McIntosh coach Warren Roberts, who is also in his first year as a head basketball coach.

McIntosh has a rich basketball tradition and made it to the Class 1A state Final Four last season.

“I’d like to get our program where McIntosh is,” Davis said. “We’re working hard to get there.”