By Cody Pastorella
The Port Arthur News
March 28, 2008 10:45 am
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Living up to last year's game will be quite the task for the players representing the Port Arthur News/James Gamble Awards team and the visiting Franchize All Stars.
Last year's contest was not decided until a final second tip-in by Kountze’s C.J. Busby in the second overtime of a 89-87 Gamble victory at the Parker Center in Port Arthur.
That win gave Gamble, the Lincoln High School coaching legend, a 4-0 record in the annual contest that features the top 10 high school players from Southeast Texas. There are five players nominated for a Mr. Inside Award and five for a Mr. Outside Award every year.
The awards have been given out since 2003 when Kendrick Perkins, former Ozen center and current member of the Boston Celtics, received the inaugural Mr. Inside Award.
Since 2004, the 10 finalists have come together for a week of preparation under Gamble that's capped off with an all-star caliber exhibition game and an awards banquet on the following night.
This year, the Gamble team will face off with Franchize, which is a Houston based club team directed by Port Arthur Memorial head coach Terrul Henderson.
And while the game may not go to a double overtime scenario, you can rest assure that plenty of talent will be on display when these two teams tip off at 8 p.m. in the Parker Center.
Henderson is bringing 10 players, including 6-10 center John Henson from Round Rock High School who has verbally committed to North Carolina. The junior giant averaged a double, double this season, scoring 21 points and pulling down 11 boards per game.
Henson, however, is expected to be a game time decision because of a sore knee. In anticipation that Henson might not be able to go, Henderson has added 6-10 Anthony Jones of Houston Yates to his roster. Jones has committed to Baylor.
Giving Henderson yet another big man is 6-9 forward Ray Turner from Houston Jones who averaged 16.2 points per game and is being pursued by the likes of Marquette, Nebraska and New Mexico for his services. The junior has not made any decisions on which university he will call home.
Henderson also has one more player — 6-8 Kelly Lawson of Pearland — taller than the biggest Mr. Inside finalist Willie Jefferson, who stands 6-7. Jefferson, being the only true post on the Gamble squad, is a junior from Ozen who was named the Defensive Player of the Year for District 22-4A.
Jefferson also averaged a double double for the season. He dropped in 11 points and pulled down 12 boards per game.
The other Mr. Inside honorees are 6-5 Jacoby Joseph from Ozen, 6-5 Marcus Malbrough of West Brook — a Missouri football signee — 6-3 Jamar Gulley of Central and 6-3 Chris Hammond of Nederland. Gulley is the son of former Lamar University standout James Gulley.
Gamble, with his years of experience, four state championships and 670 wins with Lincoln, said he has no scouting report on the opposing team.
"We will know what they have when they get here, and we will make adjustments accordingly," Gamble said. "It's not how big you are but how big you play and we have plenty of talent on this team.
"We don't talk about previous years. I doubt most of these boys even know what happened in last year's game. This game is all about these players and this year. We've had a great week of work, great practices and there is a great group of kids here. They are all good students of the game and all have great attitudes.
"We expect to be successful."
What Gamble has is speed and shooters but he has no plans of getting out and running up and down the court.
"This is a very quick group. That's probably our biggest strength — our speed. But we aren't going to run and shoot the whole game. The key to winning will be the fundamentals and playing smart basketball.
"If we block out, rebound, stay sharp on defense and minimize our turnovers, we will be successful. The key is discipline."
Gamble also has some quality shooters in Joseph, Hammond, Gulley and Mr. Outside finalists Tramain Thomas of East Chamber's, Hardin-Jefferson's Jarvis Bernard, West Brook's Donte Lopez, Silsbee's Shannon Robinson and Ozen's Breon Johnson.
Joseph and Gulley are capable of stepping outside to knock down threes and Hammond hit 66 treys on the season.
Robinson, an All-State selection, the Offensive Player of the Year for District 21-3A and an All-Region selection, averaged the highest point total for anyone on this year's team.
Robinson put down 25 points per game for the Tigers.
Thomas, also an All-State selection, averaged 22 points per game. A football standout at East Chambers, he won the Willie Ray Smith Defensive Player of the Year Award and signed a football scholarship with Arkansas.
The Gamble team's third all-stater, Bernard, was also a prolific scorer. He averaged 22 points per game for Hardin-Jefferson and was named the 21--3A MVP.
One of the unusual facts about this year’s Gamble Awards team is that seven of the 10 players are juniors. Joseph and Thomas, who are both playing in the game for the second time, and Malbrough are the only seniors.
The Gamble Awards Banquet will be Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Parker Center. Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside have already been selected, so game performances have no bearing on the awards.
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