Athletes at all levels love to talk about stepping their games up. It’s a hackneyed cliché.

But it’s a special occasion when an athlete rises to the challenge, playing better when the stakes are higher.

Vicksburg’s Kelsey Howard is just that kind of player, one whose game grew when the Gators needed him the most.

The most recent example is Howard’s performance in the North State semifinal against Callaway. The 6-foot-3 junior guard poured in 26 points in a 58-52 victory which clinched a berth in the Class 4A State Tournament for the Gators.

Just don’t ask the coolly confident, but never boastful Howard to brag about it. He won’t.

“I was just hitting my shots and playing defense,” Howard said of his effort. “I like the big games. I like the competition.”

When the Gators’ primary scorer, Mychal Ammons, went down with ligament damage in his left ankle early in the season, Vicksburg needed someone to be the team’s go-to guy. Enter Howard.

He led the team on a five-game winning streak, including the championship at the Raymond Tournament before Christmas break.

 Such was his importance that when he went down with a painful hip contusion in a 62-35 win against Yazoo County, the Gators got rolled 46-25 in the Red Carpet Classic on Jan. 23 against tonight’s opponent in the Mississippi Coliseum, St. Stanislaus.

“He’s been the sparkplug for us,” Vicksburg coach Dellie C. Robinson said. “The way Kelsey goes, so does Vicksburg. When Kelsey struggles, we struggle offensively. When Mike (Ammons) went out, he realized that he was the man, as far as scoring points was concerned. He accepted the challenge. I thought he’s had an outstanding junior year.”

After being primarily a spot-up shooter last year, Howard worked hard in the off-season to perfect his game off the drive, where he has a deadly pullup jumper from about 15 feet. To further his task, Howard tried to shoot 500 shots a day.

“My pullup,” Howard said when asked about the biggest improvement in his game this season. “I can pull up and shoot over the top of people.”

Add to that his ability to finish at the front of the rim and his still-smooth jumper and you have a player very hard to stop.

“Kelsey was good for us last year, but last year, he didn’t have to create his own shot,” Robinson said. “He’s able to come and shoot the basketball off the dribble, which has been tremendous for him. He’s got the total package.”

Howard has bumped his scoring average up from 7.4 points per contest last year to a team-leading 16.4 this season.

Ammons believes that one factor is key in Howard’s maturation into a bonafide star. And he likes the fact that the Gators have more than one potent offensive force to be reckoned with.

“He’s got more confidence,” Ammons said. “It makes it a lot easier for us because some nights, they’ll double-team me and other nights, they’ll double-team him.”

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Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.