If the Wild-cats can win at Copperas Cove tonight and at rival Belton on Tuesday, he contends, that will only work in their favor when they move into their final eight league games.
“We feel that the schedule is maybe to our advantage,” said Etheridge, whose squad carries a 19-5 record into its 7:30 p.m. game against Cove (7-13). “If we get these two wins to start out, that can set the tempo and the tone for the rest of the way.
“But we understand that both games are going to be difficult.”
After battling the Bulldawgs and the Tigers (16-6), Temple will play its 13-5A home opener against Waco (15-6) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Wildcat Gym. Five of the Wildcats’ last eight district games are at home.
Temple has played only once since the new year, romping to a 93-66 victory at Waco University on Tuesday.
Although the Wildcats will reach the 20-win mark with a win tonight, that’s not their primary goal. After all, Temple won 20 games in the 2002-03 season (going 20-11) but failed to attain one of 13-5A’s three berths in the Class 5A playoffs.
Because of that, Temple is focused on playing good, consistent ball and making a run at the district championship, not on how many overall wins it finishes with.
“We’ve set high goals for this team, and we certainly want to be one of the teams that are in contention for the district title,” Etheridge said. “We’re hoping to reach that goal (of getting 30 wins), but not at the expense of our short-term goal.
“We have to take it one game at a time, because this is one of the toughest districts in the state. It’s going to be a tough, hard-fought race.”
And 13-5A does shape up as a beast of a league, with defending champion Bryan — coached by Temple graduate John Reese — at 13-7, returning playoff teams Belton and College Station A&M Consolidated (16-6) playing well, and talented Waco emerging.
But the Wildcats are up for the challenge, Etheridge says.
“I know that our kids are excited,” he said. “When district gets here, kids tend to put it in a different gear and play harder and smarter.”
