Jackets Prepare for What Could be Magical Season

Bartow High School boys' basketball team members are (from left): front - Coach Howe Wallace, Coach Ledarion Jones, Coach Larry Tucker, Head Coach Terrence McGriff, Coach Marlon Austin, Coach Robert Webb, Manager Jevarious Thompson; back -  Rodney Smith, Shawn Montgomery, Reginald Polite, Vincent Reid, Hercules Stancil, Jerome Curry, Weedlens Beauvil, Jeffrey Thomas, Tevin Grant, Jamal Lawson, Richard Murvin, and Jeremiah Samarrippas. - (Photo provided)

Bartow High School boy's basketball team had a terrific season last year, recording a 19-10 record that included being district runner-up and winning a regional quarterfinal game.

The Jackets were defeated four times by district rival and state runner-up, the Kathleen Red Devils. The final defeat of the season came against the Red Devils in the regional semifinals.

The Jacket basketball program has seen a steady rise back to the winning ways of yesteryear with Head Coach Terrence McGriff at the helm.

McGriff is 80-85 in six seasons, but the record is not indicative of the rebuilding that has gone on during his tenure. The Jackets have steadily improved under McGriff and his coaching staff: 6-21 in 2002-03; 15-12 in 2003-04; 8-18 in 2004-05; 15-15 in 2005-06; 17-9 in 2006-07; 19-10 in 2007-08.

The Jackets return all but three seniors from last year's team. The Jackets did lose their vocal leader, Marlon Austin, to graduation and will need to find somebody to fill that void.

Who will fill that role for the Jackets in the 2008-2009 season?

“We don't know yet,” McGriff said. “As coaches, we were talking about that last week. We haven't found one yet, and we may not. It will be one of our challenges this season.

“Jamal Lawson would appear to be one, but he is not on the level of Marlon (vocally). I think it is important not to try and replace anyone, but to capitalize on the qualities of the kids that we've got.”

Returning players and their designated roles as spelled out by McGriff:

€ Jeremiah Samarrippas (junior) - Floor general, take care of ball, control the speeds of the game (being able to play fast and slow)

€ Richard Murvin (junior) - Wing scorer, ball defender

€ Weedlens Beauvil (junior) - Wing scorer and must be able to guard wing players

€ Jamal Lawson (senior) - Floor general in the paint, solid rebounder and leader

€ Jeffrey Thomas (senior) - Rebounder, defender

€ Shawn Montgomery (senior) - Making move from post to wing, must be able to be in the right spot and finish in transition on breaks and contribute to defensive rebounding

€ Vincent Reid (junior) - Athletic low post guy who is a good defensive rebounder and great offensive rebounder

€ Hercules Stancil (senior) - Post play, solid defender

The Jackets have some newcomers to the varsity roster that will need to contribute:

€ Rodney Smith (sophomore) - Backup point guard, good defender

€ Reginald Polite (junior) - Low post scoring presence and defensive rounder

€ Tevin Grant (junior) - Wing, should help defensively and should help finish baskets in transition

€ Jerome Curry (junior) - Solid rebounder in the post

With a talented group of juniors, most of them starting on the varsity since they were freshman, the expectations for this team are very high. Many around the area are talking about the Jackets being a favorite to go all the way to the Lakeland Center in search of a state championship.

Asked about the team's goals, McGriff said, “Our first goal is to help these boys establish a closer relationship with Christ. Sometimes, we get lost with the winning, the losing, and the coaching. When these boys are done, we want to have increased their spiritual base, which is our number one priority.

“Our other goals are the same each season that I have been here, he continued. “We want to win the district, regional and state championships. Our ability to accomplish those goals may change depending on the talent we have each year. But our goals are the same for each season.”

In order to accomplish his goals, “Keys are to play hard, to play smart and to play together,” McGriff said. “Hard means with great effort, smart means with proper execution and together means unselfishly.

“Everything that we do, in the classroom, on the court, at home, is predicated on those principles. This is our philosophy of play.”

The Jackets will once again be without a big man in the middle, so they will press and run often as they did last year. McGriff plans on using his bench with a 10-player rotation.

Depending on foul trouble, his main players will be getting about 24 minutes per game and the role players will get approximately 12 minutes a game.

“Kathleen is the four-time defending district champion and two-time defending state runner-up,” McGriff said. “They are the team to beat until someone beats them.

“Lake Wales is Lake Wales. They are always tough and they are our arch rival. Haines City's first five players are as athletic as any in the county; they can score.”

Some of the must-attend games this year at home will be Sponsor Night on Dec. 4 against Spoto, the “White Out” game on Jan. 9 against Lake Wales, and Senior Night on Jan. 30 against Ridge Community.

It has often been said that it takes a village to raise a child; well, the same is true of rebuilding a basketball program. Each year there are countless people who have assisted McGriff with the rebuilding process.

First, the consistency of the coaching staff has been key.

“My coaches, they have been the backbone to the resurrection of the program,” McGriff said. “I could not and would not be able to do it without them. It is the best coaching staff in Polk County. These guys deserve a lot of the credit for the program's direction.”

Assistant Coach Marlon Austin enters his 17th season with Assistant Coach Larry Tucker beginning his 14th season. Ledarion Jones is beginning his seventh season and Robert Webb is beginning his third. Tripp Wallace is entering his second season with the Jackets. There are not many staffs in the state that have this kind of longevity.

“Concession Moms” and “Pre-game Meal Moms” are Alisa Cotton, Renee Kelley, and Yolanda Patterson. These women have taken care of the concession stand and pre-game meals for six years now.

“I am so blessed to have these ladies help,” McGriff said. “They do it even though their sons haven't played for the program in years. They are a blessing to me and to this team, we could not do it without them.

“Of course Mr. Pritchard (BHS principal) has been very supportive and has allowed me to do my job and been terrific about not micromanaging me,” McGriff continued. “I have made some mistakes, but he has been so supportive and has always backed me.

“As a coach, he is the kind of principal that you want to have.

“Dr. Douglas and Shawn Killets (head football coach) have helped me tremendously with the maintenance and upkeep of the gym.

“When I got here, the gym was a mess, and in the seven years I have been here, these two have helped me fix it, get a new sound system and scoreboard, redo the gym floors, helped in the creation of new locker rooms for us, and more,” McGriff added. “Both are good Christian men who want to see the best for the basketball program.”

Geraldine Watson has been the ticket taker for boy's basketball since 1969. “She is consistent and I love her for it,” McGriff.

You must have a pass or pay four bucks when you enter the door, period. Nobody gets past Mrs. Watson and that is something McGriff appreciates.

Once you get inside the gym at the varsity game, you will enter an energetic atmosphere led by Brian “Jake” McCrae as the public address announcer. “He is absolutely the best P.A. announcer in Polk County and we appreciate it,” McGriff said.

He also mentioned BHS Athletic Director Glenn Rutenbar. “He has only been athletic director for two years, but boy, has there been a difference in organization and professionalism in the athletic department,” McGriff said. “He also is the softball coach, and gives me an example of what I want my program to be like. He is also a man of faith.”

Finally, McGriff mentions the businesses that have bought banners (sponsorships) for the last six years. He said that there are too many to mention. “We absolutely have the best support from churches, businesses and individuals of any school in Polk County and for that we are grateful.”

The Jackets begin their road to Lakeland this Thursday at 6 p.m. as they travel to Arcadia to take on Gulf Coast in the DeSoto Tip-off Classic. Bartow will then play again in the DeSoto Classic on Saturday, before beginning the regular season at Lake Region on Monday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m.