A small crowd got their first glimpse of the Sean Woods era at Scott County High School on Tuesday as the Cardinals beat Paul Laurence Dunbar 57-47 in a scrimmage. 

Scott County head coach Sean Woods is no longer the newest coach in the 11th Region, as the Bulldogs are led by long-time travel ball coach Steve Quattrocchi, hired this month. 

Scott County led 34-20 at halftime before  slipping a little in the second half. 

“For the first game, and what we started with, I’ll take it,” Woods said. 

While both teams committed their fair share of summer mistakes, the Cards had excellent ball movement at times, and generally got up and down the floor quickly, forcing quite a few turnovers. 

“One thing they are doing is trying to play as hard as they possibly can,” Woods said. “We may not be the most talented team or the most athletic team, but these guys are buying in and doing exactly what we are trying to get them to do.” 

Woods was pleased to see growth from practices

“Our first game against someone else, we are more disciplined, we are more organized, I’d like to see more of that,” he said. 

Woods takes over a team that loses much of its’ scoring from last year. Montae Washburn, Phillip Grimes, Reed Rutledge, and Ryder Horn were the only ones on the floor at the scrimmage that saw any significant minutes last season. 

“All of them are surprises right now,” Woods said. “We beat another team, so that’s a surprise. Each day, these kids are going to get better. They don’t look like the kids of last year, and that is exactly what we are trying to do.” 

Woods is hoping to see more toughness defensively from the Cardinals. 

“Be more tough defensively rebounding the basketball,” Woods said. “And clean up some stuff offensively. 

The Cardinals scrimmaged Western Hills after press time on Thursday, and travel to the Madison Central Team Camp next week, where they play Lexington Catholic at 5 p.m. June 16, and Nelson County at 8 p.m.. On June 17, they play Southwest at 6:1- p.m. and Madison Central at 7:50 p.m. 

On June 21, they host Shelby County and Barren County at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m as part of the Bluegrass Festival. 

On June 22, they play Henry County at 8 a.m. and Glasgow at 10 a.m, both at Scott County High School.