Shunterrance Walton gives Warren Central basketball instant offense when the ball is in his hands. Whether it’s in the form of a fast break dunk or squaring up from 3-point range, he’ll always find a way to lift his team.

The junior guard is the Vikings’ leading scorer, averaging about 20 points a game. After missing the first few games of the season while he was still with the football team, it didn’t take long for him to transition to the court.

The seamless changeover between the sports is due to Walton’s take on being an athlete. Football helped him with his speed, his competitive nature and being accustomed to physical play.

“I don’t really look at it like two sports,” Walton said. “One helps the other. It’s not that hard.”

Although Walton is the team’s leading scorer, he demonstrates his true value as a teammate by remaining humble and encouraging his teammates. In practice he’ll guard the best offensive player to make them work harder, and never lets another Viking hang his head in doubt.

“If we’re losing and I’m putting up those kind of points, then it’s not going to look too good for me,” Walton said. “I’d rather have the win than just have a couple of points.”

Sometimes, he gets both. In his first game back from football, Walton hit four 3-pointers in the second half and finished with a team-high 16 points in a 61-59 win over Hattiesburg. Two days later he made three 3-pointers and scored 19 points in a win over Jefferson County.

However, Walton’s breakout game was against Pearl in early December.

In his second game of the season he scored 28 points, went 8-for-8 from the free throw line and scored 12 points from behind the arc. Walton also scored on a breakaway dunk to get the crowd on its feet and hit two late-game 3-pointers for the come-from-behind victory over the Pirates.

Walton also scored 29 points in the Vikings’ last game, a 71-60 loss to Laurel last week at the Jackson Public Schools Tournament. WC will play at Northwest Rankin on Tuesday, and hosts Vicksburg on Saturday.

“He’s an explosive scorer. He’s going to make those big plays and give us a chance to win late in ballgames,” Vikings coach Bruce Robinson said after the game against Pearl.

Additionally, Robinson commended Walton for his ability to rebound the ball and for being a tremendous athlete.

“He’s one of those rebounders you can go up and get it three times in a row,” Robinson said.

Walton has emerged as a leader on the team, but he and Robinson both see room for those skills to improve.

“I’d like for him to be a stronger leader and develop,” Robinson said. “Leadership is a skill you have to develop; mental toughness is a skill you have to develop. That’s what we’re trying to get him to develop.”

While Walton has the strength to fight bigger guys on the boards, he’ll also sacrifice his body to take a charge and force a turnover.

His ability to shoot well from the free throw line, be an offensive juggernaut, and his rebounding skills are what Robinson believes make Walton a good basketball player, with the ability to play at the next level.

“As an offensive player he knows where his sweet spots are, which seems like all over the place. Defensively, if he gets a steal he can go coast-to-coast with it,” Robinson said. “He’s kind of becoming offensively a complete player. He lacks sometimes on defense but he gives you so much on offense we can always work on the defensive side.”

UPCOMING WC GAMES

Tuesday: At Northwest Rankin, 6 p.m.

Saturday: vs. Vicksburg, 1 p.m.

Jan. 12: at Clinton, 6 p.m.

Jan. 19: vs. Brookhaven, 6 p.m.

Jan. 22: at Greenville, 6 p.m

Red Carpet Classic, at WC

Jan. 23: vs. Provine (Girls), 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 23: vs. O’Bannon (Boys), 5 p.m.