Sports: Lopez gets two new basketball coaches

Lopez High School basketball fans will see two new varsity basketball coaches on the Lobo court this season.

Boys’ coach M.R. Buffum and girls’ coach Freddie Farris have resigned their head coaching positions.

Buffum will be succeeded by Brad Smith, who brings a wealth of coaching experience to the job. Athletic Director Ali Smith said the new coach has coached team sports for 13 years — 11 of them in basketball. He has also coached baseball, wrestling and soccer.

Coach Smith has coached the Lopez Middle School basketball team for three years; this means he has coached many of the players who will be on the boys’ varsity team. He will be assisted by Daryl Davidson.

Coach Smith said he is looking forward to “the excitement of a fresh start and building a new program. I’m very excited for this year.”

He expects his players to be in better shape than the other teams. In small schools, with fewer players, it’s best to get the physical edge, he said. “(I expect them) to give 110 percent all the time.”

Principal Elton Sorensen asked Smith to apply for the job. “The options were limited and I know he’s a good coach, so I asked him if he’d do it,” Sorensen said.

The Lady Lobos will be hooping it up with new coach Terry McGovern this season. McGovern was the girls’ varsity assistant coach in 1998.

McGovern will start with basic techniques. “I really want to teach them how to play the game,” he said. “The more you understand the game, the better advantage you have.”

McGovern will emphasize teamwork. “It’s most important to me they work as a team,” he said.

McGovern will be assisted by Kevin Zoerb.

Athletic Director Smith added, “He’s very good with the kids. I think he’s going to be a great asset. He’s a student of the game.”

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