According to Long County High School boys’ head basketball coach Deshon Brock, the team’s goal in 2014 is to get back to the state playoffs.
“I am looking for us to play hard and compete every night,” Brock said. “I think that if we do that we have a realistic shot at getting to the playoffs. That is our goal, to get into the state tournament.”
But if the Blue Tide are going to make the state tournament, they are going to have to do better than they did last season.  Long County posted a 13-13 overall record and an 8-4 Region 2-AA mark. The Tide won their first game in the region tournament, defeating Toombs County, 59-54, but in the second round fell to Jeff Davis, 74-55, a team they had never lost to.
Before the regular season begins, Long County will have its annual alumni game Saturday. Money raised from the night will benefit the basketball program.
The first game will be at
3 p.m., when the Long County Middle School girls play, followed by the middle-school boys playing at 4 p.m.
At 5 p.m., the high-school action begins with the Lady Tide hitting the floor for an intersquad scrimmage. The Blue Tide boys’ team scrimmages at 6 p.m. The alumni game starts at 7 p.m.
Long County’s first game will be Nov. 16 when the Tide take on New Hampstead High School in Ludowici. It will be the first time that the Blue Tide has ever played the Phoenix.