By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — The realization that Williamston would be playing for a state championship in the Dean E. Smith Center didn’t quite sink it for Tigers’ rookie coach Hughes Barber until he and the rest of the regional tournament survivors met at the Radisson RTP in Durham Monday morning to pick up their plaques and meet the media.
“I think this event, meeting with the media and stuff today is kind of making it sink in more,” Barber said. “It hadn’t really over the weekend. I was talking to my dad Sunday night and he asked me that question and I said it probably hasn’t yet because I have been so busy working on game plans and stuff like that, but today it has.”
For Barber and his crew the dream of making it to the NCHSAA 1-A state title was cemented when Williamston kept its perfect season intact with a 62-55 win over South Robeson in the East Regional championship at J.H. Rose High School Saturday. The victory not only punched its ticket to the Dean Dome, but upped Williamston’s record to 29-0.
So far it has been a dream season for the Tigers, but sleep might be an issue for their coaching staff this week as they now have to come up with a way to dethrone four-time defending state champions Bishop McGuiness this Saturday noon.
Despite losing its top seven players from last season’s team the Lady Villains rebounded quickly, and though they did not win the Northwest Conference title, they were able to knock off Mitchell to win the West Regional.
Despite only having one senior and two juniors on the team, McGuinness sports a roster that includes three six-footers to make a total of four players over 5-10. The Tigers on the other hand feature two players that are 5-10 or better.
One of those six-footers is star point guard Megan Buckland. The Villains’ junior is averaging 20 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.9 steals a game and is currently being recruited by East Carolina University.
Barber said that Buckland and the rest of the Villains’ length is a concern.
“I know that they have a lot of height, they are going to have a height advantage on us,” Barber said. “I have heard a lot of good things about (Megan) Buckland, she is about six feet tall and plays point guard and can shoot the three ball real well.”
McGuiness coach Brian Robinson said that Buckland was the heart-and-soul of his team.
“She is very versatile and can play a number of positions for us,” Robinson said. “She runs the point because she is our best ball-handler, but she is more so a better leader. We have so many young kids, but she has done a great job bringing them along without making them feel bad because we have made a lot of mistakes early in the season. She has been a perfect leader for this team.”
The fact that Bishop McGuiness is a private school that plays amongst public schools – and has won four consecutive state championships — tends to raise an eyebrow or two. Robinson is aware that some people might question where his talent comes from and how it has ended up at McGuinness, but he is quick to point out that an overwhelming majority of his players have come through their feeder schools.
“I think after the first two (state championships) we (felt a lot of eyes on us), but I think once people saw we were playing by all the rules they have left us alone for the most part,” Robinson said. “You are going to have that anytime you win, no matter who you are, but this year we didn’t even win our conference. We lost four games against other 1-A teams, and with this team basically being a JV team playing varsity, I don’t think there is much to be said.”
Robinson also debunked the notion that all his players are hired guns or imports, saying that of his 13-person roster 12 sprouted through their six feeders schools. Robinson also noted that during his eight years at Bishop McGuiness 33 of his 39 players have come up through their system.
“The thing with schools like us is that we don’t have a district line, but every kid has to pay tuition to come here. We don’t give out scholarships,” Robinson said. “We have to have a product academically and athletically that will attract kids. Academically we are way up there, and athletically we are starting to hold our own. We just happen to be the ‘lead dog’ right now. … If someone wants to transfer to a private school that have to sit out a year. If they want to leave our school and transfer to a public school they can play right away. … That can be a deterrent.”
 Despite the differences between Williamston and Bishop McGuinness, both coaches were worried about the awe factor when their respective teams take the court at the Dean E. Smith Center Saturday.
Robinson said during his first state championship game appearance against Southeast Halifax his team was struck by the atmosphere at the Dean Dome and shot 18 percent in the first half of its 54-31 victory. Robinson said the key is to stress that they are playing another team and not the building.
“My job this week is to prepare them as best as I can mentally before that, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’ve got to figure out a way. With this many young kids I can see that being an issue,” Robinson said.
Barber, who grew up a UNC fan, said that having his team play at the Smith Center has personal significance to him and is exciting for his players.
“It’s huge to me because I grew up a Carolina fan, that was my building growing up. I watched Dean coach there and went to Dean Smith basketball camps, so it’s going to be neat for me,” Barber said. “I think a lot of our players are looking forward to it too, I just hope we can go in there and the arena doesn’t intimidate our team. I think if we can get over the fact that we are playing in that arena and just play basketball, I think that will help us out.”