STARKVILLE — This is the time of year Starkville High School boys basketball coach Greg Carter has a one-time conversation with his team.
Carter’s Yellow Jackets enter the 2011-12 season as the favorites to win their region and to win another championship trophy in their first season back in Class 5A of the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
“We talk to them about (expectations and goals) one time and then we put it away and don’t mention it ever again,” Carter said. “We don’t worry about ranking because the guys putting those together maybe have seen us play once or twice.”
Carter, who last month was named to the Mississippi State men’s basketball program’s All-Century team thanks to a career that saw him score 1,123 points, will have a starting lineup with five seniors.
“It’s a major relief to have guys that have been through your system, but who also know what it takes to win and play the way I expect them to play every night,” Carter said. “We’re not going a lot of repeating with this group, and that’s a good start.”
Gavin Ware, a 6-foot-8 forward, will be the man in the middle. The top-100 prospect gave a verbal committed to MSU this summer. He is expected to sign a National Letter-of-Intent this week.
Ware was averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked last season
before a knee injury sidelined him for Starkville’s playoff run. He was fully recovered before he started playing Amateur Athletic Union ball in the summer, and developed a wider shooting range he hopes will bring teams out of the zone defenses Carter expects.
“What teams are going to do is double Gavin and our point guard Jacolby Mobley to make the other three guys on the floor beat us,” Carter said. “At that point we have to make jump shots.”
Those outside shooting chances will be go to Steve Brand, Mike Brand, and Tory Rice.
Starkville went 19-9 last season and fought its way to the Class 6A state championship game without Ware.
“We will get up and down as much as we can knowing teams are
going to slow it down on us,” Carter said. “Gavin’s ability in the paint allows us to play either way you want.”
Starkville will open district play against Neshoba Central, Yazoo
City, and Canton in a group with Class 5A powers Provine and Callaway and Wayne County. The Yellow Jackets opened the season Saturday in West Point’s tournament.
“Our kids are excited at the challenge and opportunity, but our kids have already walked into Tupelo and Columbus where we get their best shot,” Carter said.
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