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It’s finally Friday, and that means Poly’s girls’ basketball team is taking on Cajon in the CIF championship game…you know, the one where they play for the rings. <\/span>The game starts at 8:30pm, and will be held at Mater Dei’s massive gym—if you’ve ever been to Monarch country, you know that parking is, shall we say, severely impacted. <\/span>If you’re not showing up very early, plan on giving yourself some extra time to find curb space. <\/span>Tickets are $9 for general admission, and just $5 for students (with ID) and senior citizens. <\/span>We’ve already done an enormous scouting report on Cajon<\/a> and a feature on Poly’s leader, Monique Oliver<\/a>, so we’ll just leave you with a few thoughts from Poly coach Carl Buggs, and some driving directions at the bottom. <\/span><\/p>\n Buggs on Cajon: <\/b><\/p>\n They’re good. <\/span>They’re very explosive, they can create some bad matchups. <\/span>We’re most concerned about Layshia (Clarendon, the Cowgirls’ top scorer). <\/span>She does a great job of getting their other shooters open shots. <\/span>We have to contain her—we can’t stop her. <\/span>They’ve also got their big girl, Darshae (Burnside), who’s a good shot-blocker. <\/span>We have to make Layshia and Darshae work for everything.<\/p>\n On making his 8th<\/sup> consecutive CIF title appearance with the ‘Rabbits: <\/b><\/p>\n People don’t want to believe this, but I didn’t really realize that until people started bringing it up to me. <\/span>I just want to, when I coach, I talk about goals for the season, you don’t talk about records or streaks, just about this year<\/i>. <\/span>For example, we won state last year, but it’s funny, because not five minutes pass by, before three people ask me, “Are you going to win four in a row?” <\/span>And I’m like, can we enjoy this for twenty minutes? <\/span>But when it’s all over, all the hoopla, and the parades, and the banquet, then it’s time to start getting ready for the next year. <\/span>And the only thing that matters is the ’09 season—that’s how we approach it. <\/span>So it’s kind of like, what? It’s been 8 years in a row? <\/span>Are you serious?<\/span><\/p>\n On expectations:<\/b><\/p>\n The expectations are so high here, and you don’t want the kids to just expect it. <\/span>You want the expectation to be: I have a goal, I’m going to work to get it. <\/span>Not “We’re going to get it because we are who we are.” <\/span>You want to work together. <\/span>And as long as, from the very first day, you have that mindset: we’re going to win the championship this year—not “again”—but we’re going to win the championship this year<\/i>, then your work ethic is towards that every day. <\/span>Then whatever happens, I’ll accept that. <\/span>But sometimes, you’re so consistent at winning that you get to that place and you think it’s just supposed to happen. <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n