Before the season started, team captain Griffin Lutz said the Bulldogs' goal for the upcoming year was to win the Tri-Valley Conference.
With seven games left to play, that goal is still possible.
A fast start to the season gave the Bulldogs a 6-1 record through the season's first seven games, but lately, they've cooled off considerably, going 3-5 in the ensuing eight games.
Athens will meet a mix of tough opponents as it heads into its final seven games, but a conference title is still in reach if it can right the ship.
Continue the up-tempo offense
The biggest positive of the season thus far has been the play of Lutz. The point guard eclipsed 1,000 career high school points against Wellston in January. The vibrant senior is the lifeblood of the Athens offense. When he's on his game, the rest of the offense is as well.
Moving forward, the team will need someone in addition to Lutz to step up and make offensive contributions. Juniors Robert Dickelman and Dalton Cozart and sophomore Justin Hynes have filled that role this season, forcing the opponent's defense to adjust on the fly.
The additional stability provided by offensive standouts was apparent in Athens' 81-47 win against River Valley on Jan. 24. The trio of Lutz, Dickelman and Hynes contributed to 46 of the team's 81-point total, which stands as the Bulldogs' highest point total this season.
"Our guys are unselfish enough to find the guy that's hot," coach Mickey Cozart said. "A lot of times it is Griffin, sometimes it’s not. That’s what you get with an unselfish team.”
If Lutz is complemented by another Bulldog offensively, Athens should have one of the most potent offenses in the TVC.
Constant defensive intensity
The Bulldogs found themselves in close games during their recent 3-5 stretch. A main reason they've struggled to come out on the winning side is defensive breakdowns in the final minutes.
Against Fairland, Athens took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, but allowed the Dragons to come back and score 28 points in the game's final eight minutes to tie it up. Fairland would go on to win it in overtime.
In a tough loss to New Lexington, Athens was down eight points heading into the final quarter, but a 22-point offensive effort wasn't enough to pull ahead, as the team allowed 23 points on defense.
Fairland and New Lexington served as tough opponents, and it remained to be seen whether Athens could earn a win against difficult opponents down the stretch, but a triumphant 75-63 win against Meigs last Tuesday proved that the Bulldogs could reverse the trend.
The Bulldogs took a five-point lead heading into the game's final quarter. It looked like Athens was about to blow another lead after allowing the Marauders to tie it up a few minutes into the fourth quarter, but the defense picked itself up, and the Bulldogs pulled out a win.
"We needed it," Cozart said. "We played good team ball, and we trusted each other."
The big win could push the Bulldogs into a much needed winning run to close the season. Strong defensive stands in the game's final minutes will be crucial to Athens' success moving forward.
The road ahead
Five of Athens' final seven games are at home, with four of those seven against conference opponents.
Athens had just two games at home in the month of January, a stretch Cozart called brutal.
"You'd like a little better balance going forward," he said.
The Bulldogs' most important game left is another showdown against the Marauders on Feb. 11, a game that should have heavy implications on the final look of the TVC standings.
Other key opponents for the Bulldogs include Alexander (8-8, 5-3 TVC), Morgan (11-4) and Marietta (8-9).
