Standing tall: Gators turn size disadvantage into rebounding machine
Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 6, 2003
Vicksburg’s L.J. Scott grabs one of his 16 rebounds as Hattiesburg’s Terry Bryant looks on in the Gators’ 64-61 victory in the Class 5A state semifinal game on Monday. The Gators will play Starkville for the state title on Friday. (Melanie Duncan ThortisThe Vicksburg Post)
[3/6/03]If high school players were allowed to do product endorsements, the Vicksburg Gators could make a fortune pitching Windex. The way the Gators have cleaned up the glass lately is enough to make any window-washer proud.
Vicksburg’s rebounders have dominated its two state tournament opponents, Moss Point and Hattiesburg, a big reason why the Gators are playing in Friday’s Class 5A championship game against Starkville.
“You’ve got to block out early and beat them to the spot when the ball is shot,” said Vicksburg’s L.J. Scott, who is averaging nearly 12 rebounds per game for the season and 14 per game in the state tournament. “Everybody blocks out, and you limit them to one shot, and you can win way more games than you lose.”
The rebounding has been key to Vicksburg’s run so far in the state tournament. The Gators controlled the boards against Moss Point, as three players had at least eight rebounds.
In the semifinal win against Hattiesburg, VHS won the rebounding battle 39-28 despite Hattiesburg’s decided height advantage.
“I don’t let it intimidate me. It’s about the fight inside of you, not how big you are,” Scott said. “You mix work with smart, and you’ve got something good coming out every time.”
VHS coach Dellie Robinson likes his team’s hustle on the boards, but said a good dose of fundamentals helps too.
“We’re not real tall, but these are athletic kids and they can jump,” Robinson said.
“When you watch our kids, they have real good position on the inside, and that allows them to get a lot of rebounds.”
The Gators’ usual zone defense helps, too. It allows all five players to crash the boards, creating more opportunities for rebounds.
In addition to Scott’s totals, Jamaal Thomas is averaging nearly eight rebounds per game for the season and point guard Devin Jones has totaled eight in both games of the state tournament. Against Moss Point, Cedric Parson came off the bench to grab nine rebounds.
“We play a matchup zone, and we know where the rebound is going to come off when the shot is taken,” Robinson said. “We send all five people to the boards, and that’s one of the reasons we’ve done so well.”
One team that the Gators didn’t do so well against, however, was Starkville. Led by Mississippi State signee Travis Outlaw, the Yellowjackets won the rebounding battle in a 50-34 win over Vicksburg in the North State championship game.
Correcting the mistakes of that loss will be key if the Gators are to bring back their first state championship since 1980.
“We keep (Outlaw) from the getting inside, getting the rebound, and block out, we should control him,” said Thomas, one of the players who will battle with Outlaw down low. “The key is blocking him out. If we can do that without getting fouls, we should do good with the ball.”