- April 23, 2024
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Demetrius Headley , left, and Tarik Shakir run sprints with their teammates. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas coach Henry Robinson oversees practice. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ty Smith looks to shoot. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Dawson Tanner. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas boys basketball coach Henry Robinson doesn’t guarantee the Pirates will win a district championship this year. But he does guarantee they will be fun to watch.
“We’re a wing-guard heavy team. We’re trying to get up and down as much as possible,” he said. “Look for us to shoot a lot of 3’s. It’s nothing to see one of my guys shoot from the volleyball line.”
Robinson was hired in May to take over for Donald Lockhart, who left to be the head coach at Pedro Menendez.
Robinson coached at Jacksonville Westside for 12 years, the last nine as the head coach. He takes over a team that went 5-20 last season, and he had few expectations when he arrived.
“This is a special group. They all get along," Robinson said. "They’re much more talented than I thought they were going to be.”
The Pirates have not made the playoffs since the 2016-17 season, Lockhart’s first year.
Robinson does not guarantee a district title this season, but that’s what he has his squad aiming for.
“I expect us to be well over .500 and competing for a district championship,” he said.
Matanzas returns shooting guard Dawson Tanner (7.9 points per game), 6-foot-4 wing Ty Smith (4.5 ppg) and 6-3 wing Michael Martinez (6.2 ppg).
The returning players and the newcomers are all excited about their new style of play.
“It’s no-position ball,” Smith said. “Everyone is able to take shots anywhere on the court. We have our center shooting 3’s.”
Smith was a post player last year. Now he says he feel more comfortable on the wing.
“On the collegiate level, my size is a guard, so I have to get more used to playing guard,” he said.
He’ll get his chance.
“Everybody gets to handle the ball,” Robinson said. “Everybody gets shots. Everybody has to do everything.”
“It’s more free for us,” said Tanner. “Coach has confidence in all of us. I think we’ve gotten a lot better. Our main goal is to win the district championship.”
