Find out how NSU’s Mike McConathy challenged Caddo basketball coaches

Former Northwestern State basketball coach Mike McConathy stressed personal accountability and 18 Caddo Parish public school coaches outlined their season focus during the Caddo Parish Basketball Media Day on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

McConathy relayed several stories from his extensive coaching days at Bossier Parish Community College and NSU. During his 40 years in the college fraternity, McConathy was noted for how he handled his players and as a “lunch-pail” coach.

“Every Monday after the last game of our season, our players were back in the gym working. They knew they had lost something and wanted to get it back,” McConathy said. “Hopefully, you can put in a little extra right now so when the end of the season comes, you’ll know you did the best you possibly could to be successful.”

McConathy, who continues to work at NSU in a promotional capacity, not only spoke to the nine boys and nine girls coaches, he spent time visiting with many of the nearly 40 athletes who attended, representing each of the 18 teams.

Coaches from Byrd, Captain Shreve, Green Oaks, Huntington, North Caddo, Northwood, Southwood, BTW and Woodlawn were given three minutes to introduce their attending players and offer a quick breakdown on their team.

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With 38 years coaching locally, Huntington’s Mack Jones took his full three minutes.

“After 38 years, all I can say is don’t take anything or granted,” said Jones, who has had a 6-foot-9 and 6-6 player move into the Raiders’ district during the off-season. “We’ve made it to the quarterfinals the last two years and have won a lot of games. We are planning to go further.”

Several coaches were making their first appearance at the annual event. Keith Bilbo is the new boys coach at Northwood, while LaFrance Cooper made the move from Homer to Woodlawn to replace Kenny Goldman and Jeffery Trent moved from Ringgold to Southwood. On the girls side, DeAndre Alexander is leading BTW, while JaQuita Newman has taken the helm for Woodlawn.

Both BTW coach Kenneth Sykes and Green Oaks’ Demetrius Wiggins are awaiting the end of the football season for their successful football teams to add some difference makers in their lineups.

“We have 11 players on the football team,” said Sykes. “We’re gonna be physical and we should be able to make a run when those guys come in.”

Trent introduced two of his starters who are setting an example on and off the court. Senior Larry Duncan is No. 1 academically in the senior class, while junior Karter McDowell is No. 1 in the junior class.

“They call us a student-athlete for a reason. You’re a student first,” McDowell said. “You make sure you get it done in the class or you won’t be able to play. You just have to balance it all out.”

Also on the event’s agenda were Caddo Superintendent Keith Burton, Caddo Operations Officer Patrick Greer and Caddo athletic director Dr. Cedric Ellis

Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Find out how NSU’s Mike McConathy challenged Caddo basketball coaches