AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 26
Friday, January 26, 2007
‘Good guys reap rewards’ with Wilson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
His team is 17-3, but Carter Wilson refuses to get giddy. The Decatur boys basketball coach has been around long enough to know that his players adopt his disposition, so he remains as determined as ever in the hope that his team continues to build on a pretty special season.
Decatur surprised many last season by advancing to the state tournament quarterfinals. And once again, the Bulldogs have produced a team that has the ability to make a strong postseason run. This is a surprise to Wilson.
A reshuffling put Decatur in a region with Wesleyan, Buford and Greater Atlanta Christian, among others, forcing Wilson to expect a difficult season for the Bulldogs. Instead, Wilson has gotten his team to mesh and perform at a level that makes it a viable title contender.
“It’s very rewarding for two reasons,” Wilson said. “One, because of the record. But two, because this team has the best chemistry of any team I’ve coached. So to see them get the payoff is great. It’s good to see the good guys reap the rewards.”
There are more rewards to be had, which is why Wilson remains steadfast in the prodding of his team.
“Really, I tell my team all the time we have not scratched the surface of what we can become,” he said. “We’re winning, but we haven’t reached our potential. And that’s what keeps me going — keeps us going.”
Wilson and his staff mixed in five newcomers with eight returning players in a way that has been seamless. The new players came up from junior varsity, having practiced with the varsity much of last season.
“We’ve mixed and matched in a way that makes sense to us and to the kids,” Wilson said.
Now, Decatur can function under the duress of close games. Last year, the Bulldogs had difficulties winning in the final moments.
This season, in the crucial, tight moments, Decatur has been tougher.
“I don’t know if it’s maturity or not,” Wilson said. “But we have closed games much better. We’ve made plays that we just didn’t make last year.”
And a team that functions well in the waning moments stands a good chance of being formidable come tournament time, especially when it has the senior leadership. Decatur has Jerron Stone.
Stone was Decatur’s most dynamic player last season, according to Wilson, but he came off the bench because he had trouble with consistency. Now, Stone is rock solid.
“He’s matured a lot on the court,” Wilson said. “He believes he can score, and he’s going out and making the plays. And the way we play, he’s got to score.”
Stone, Sam Shew, Danny Cortase, Josh Collington and David Hooten are the Bulldogs’ seniors who will play tonight on the program’s “Senior Night.” And they should do so with their chests expanded, for they represent a Decatur program that has blossomed during their time.
“They have done the program proud and can feel good about being a part of a great Decatur basketball legacy,” the coach said. “They can reflect on the program and feel like they were a part of something special.”
Just how special will be determined soon.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Gimme Five: Best-ever hoopsters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t look now, but Gwinnett County, once known exclusively as a football hotbed, has become a must-stop for major Division I basketball programs as well.
The county is enjoying a Golden Age in the sport, currently rivaling it on some levels with such fabled places as New York City, Detroit, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., as breeding grounds for outstanding basketball talents.
Defending Class AAAAA state champion and nationally ranked Norcross is currently at the top of the pecking order, but Peachtree Ridge and Meadowcreek stand as some of the state’s best as well.
Great players abound all over, as more people flock to the county and the quality of coaching remains on the rise. Norcross’ Al-Farouq Aminu and Central Gwinnett’s Richard Howell are among the next crop of future Division I stars.
The county has produced some of the state’s top players in recent years, most of whom can be found playing on TV on any given night.
No disrespect intended for some of the older players who may have come through years ago, but here’s my take on the five best players to ever hail from Gwinnett County. Tell me what you guys think.
1: Louis Williams - Yeah, he’s not doing a whole lot these days with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, but the former South Gwinnett star is the ONLY Gwinnett player to have reached the league. The explosive shooting guard was virtually unstoppable as a senior at South, earning All-American honors and leading the Comets to the 2004 state title. He was always a highlight waiting to happen. Skipped college altogether before being selected by the Sixers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2005 draft.
2: Jodie Meeks - The state’s 2006 Player of the Year is now starring as a key freshman reserve at Kentucky. The 6-5 guard displayed a great feel for the game in helping lift the Blue Devils to the school’s first state crown last spring. A team player first and foremost, Meeks could play either guard spot and defend virtually any position on the floor.
3: Mike Mercer - Much like Scottie Pippen never received the kind of love he deserved while playing Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman, Mercer was never really appreciated by the public as much as he should have been. A rangy 6-4 point guard with great athleticism and court vision, he could dominate games on either end. Offensively, he was a tough guard for smaller point guards and able to get to the rim whenever he felt like it. He was a one-man wrecking crew defensively, able to wreak havoc on opposing offenses with his quickness and long arms. Now starring at Georgia.
4: Chris Allen - Meadowcreek’s smooth 6-4 shooting guard and Michigan State signee just might be the best shooter in the nation and would be a very welcome addition to the Spartans right now. Nobody boasts more range and the physically-gifted Allen comes with a nasty cross-over as well. Has only helped his stock by showcasing his ability to play point guard as well this winter. Allen made the prestigious Team USA U-18 team last summer that won the gold medal in the U-18 Men’s Tournament in San Antonio. The NBA beckons.
5: Tony Akins - The left-handed former Berkmar star was a shooter in a point guard body, but few did it better than this 6-foot dynamo. Akins had few rivals while starring for the Patriots and went on to enjoy a brilliant career at Georgia Tech, earning All-ACC honors as senior. Has made a variety of stops playing professional basketball overseas the last few years.
Give us five: List your top five best-ever Gwinnett basketballers. Or give Hollis five reasons why you nixed his picks.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Gimme Five
Lady Trojans undeniably dominant
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Carrollton girls are making a case for being the most dominating team in the state. The Lady Trojans, ranked No. 2 in Class AAA, who score 66 points per game, are 20-0 and their average margin of victory is 36 points. Despite missing leading scorer Velicia Bell the past six games, they haven’t missed a beat. Last week in a blowout win over East Coweta, Carrollton got 25 points from Karisma Boykin, 23 from Brittany Wiley and 17 from Janyce Ealey.
GIRLS UNBEATEN SOUTHWEST: After falling in the state quarterfinals in 2006, the Southwest-Macon girls are pushing for a championship. With all but one player back from last year, the No. 1-ranked Lady Patriots are 18-0 and have four players averaging in double figures. The key has been the emergence of Angelia Hill, a sophomore who averages 12 points per game and eases pressure on Southwest’s big three, Parrisha Simmons (who’s averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds), Myeisha Sims (12 points, 8 assists) and Takisha Williams (13 ppg) …
MILESTONE IN REACH: Allison Tennant enters the weekend with 970 career points after scoring 24 in Pickens’ 91-63 win over Flowery Branch. The 91 points were the most scored by the Pickens girls (16-4, 4-0) in Donnie Byrom’s four years as coach at the Jasper school. Teammate Meagan Stephens, who scored 21 points and had 13 assists in that win, is on a pace to set a school record by averaging 7.8 assists per contest, according to Byrom …
MAKING UP GROUND: Armuchee started 3-2 and has won 10 of its last 11 games, including a win over Model Tuesday night, snapping the Lady Blue Devils’ seven-game win streak. The Lady Indians (13-4) are getting 13 points from sophomore Keri O’Neal, and Charlsie Broome, a junior, and Jenny Link, a senior, are both scoring double figures …
TICKLING THE TWINE: Model’s Kendall Davis, a 5-9 senior who has signed with Berry, is making 71 percent of her shots from the field while averaging 15.1 points ., while teammate Sarah Alford earlier this year became the Rome school’s all-time lead in 3-point field goals made …
LAST-SECOND HEROICS: Warner Robins’ Victoria Rushing hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and Symone Wilkerson got a steal and layup at the buzzer as the Lady Demons (14-3, 4-1) took a key Region 1-AAAAA win Tuesday …
LONG-RANGE BOMBER: Kym Stamps has averaged 15 points while making 55 percent of her 3-point shots the past three games for Kendrick, ranked No. 3 in AAA …
LOCAL RULERS: Behind seniors Janay Wilson and Brittany Holder, Northside-Warner Robins has beaten every school in Houston countty …
CONQUERERS: Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe got 51 points and nine assists from Kayla Weaver in road wins over ranked opponents Rome and Dalton last week, stretching the Lady Warriors’ win streak to 13. Against Rome, Weaver had 31 points, four assists and six rebounds …
BOYS BEST FOR LAST: Greenbrier’s Andy Gray blocked a shot on the last play of the game to preserve the Wolf Pack win. Greenbrier (18-3) is off to the best start in school history behind 18 points per game from Anthony Williams and 16 per game from Bryan Andrews, who each has scored as many as 28 points in a game …
STREAKING EAGLES: Corey Edmonson and Bobby Lee Smith are both averaging nearly 20 points per game for Coosa, which is 6-0 since Christmas and 15-3 overall …
SMELLS LIKE CEDAR: Luvonte Rhines (32 points) and Chris Kupets (30) combined for 62 points in Cedar Shoals’ victory over Salem Tuesday, pushing the Jaguars to 17-1 …
NOTCHING EVERY COLUMN: Point guard Reggie Middleton of Glenn Hills scored 15 points, had five rebounds, recorded seven assists and four steals while committing just one turnover in the Spartans’ 76-67 win over Thomson in a key Region 3-AAA Division B game ..
OH, POOH: Hart County’s Pooh Craft scored 11 poings, had 10 steals and eight assists against Lumpkin County Jan. 20, a win that pushed the Bulldogs’ record to 17-2 …
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: State Hoops Report
Build the Perfect Player
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So it’s not exactly as easy as putting together your old Mr. Potato Head. But building the perfect basketballer is just as much fun. AJC hoops writer Derrick Mahone has his ideas about which players’ qualities - combined - would create a model of elite hoops excellence.
Which Georgia hardcourt heroes - girls, boys or a mix of both - make up your Perfect Player? And why?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Fastbreak
