STARKVILLE – When he began his junior year at Starkville High School, Tyson Carter knew the expectation was there for him to become a leader on the basketball team.
Still, Tyson Carter did not know exactly how to do just that.
“The main thing I struggled with in high school was becoming a leader,” Tyson Carter said. “After my 10th grade year, I knew I had to start becoming a leader. Through of the middle of the season, we really struggled as a team because I didn’t know how to become a leader.
“As I got better at leading, that had a big impact on us winning the state championship.”
Tyson Carter did lead Starkville to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state championship his junior year. Prior his senior season, Tyson Carter signed with Mississippi State University. He then led Starkville back to the championship game where it lost to Columbus in the Class 6A final.
For his play-making skills and leadership qualities, Tyson Carter is being chosen today The Dispatch’s Large Schools Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year for a second straight season. This year, Carter averaged 22 points, five rebounds and six assists per game.
Fortunately for Tyson Carter, he could get all of the advice on leadership he needed in his own home. Starkville coach Greg Carter – Tyson’s father – had a standout career at Mississippi State. With Tyson being his only son, it was a given that Greg Carter was going to push Tyson Carter to be the best player he could become.
“Tyson has always been a quiet person,” Greg Carter said. “You can lead by example. But you can also lead vocally. We really challenged him to become more of a vocal leader. He has always worked so hard on his game. It has been a love and a passion. It was a matter of him becoming a leader and helping take his teammates along with him.”
While leadership had to become a learned skill for the younger Carter, a love for the game has always been present.
“We have always watched basketball together ever since I was a real young,” Tyson Carter said. “There really never has been time off. We have watched games and looked at stuff. It could be college or (the National Basketball Association). We would watch games and talk about different stuff.
“I always knew what he was thinking. He would ask me questions and I knew how to answer them. You always want to be able to share something with your dad. With mine, I shared a love for the game of basketball.”
With Greg Carter coaching at Starkville for virtually this entire century, Tyson Carter has grown up in the gym. With MSU also in the town, Tyson Carter has grown up attending dozens of games at his future home, Humphrey Coliseum.
Tyson Carter said playing for his dad was the “best experience possible.”
“It was all I could have ever asked for and more,” Tyson Carter said. “Whenever I had a question, I could go to him. Going to practices all of these years, really helped my basketball IQ out. Everybody has always told me that I was so smart about the game. I am like a coach on the floor. Knowing exactly what is going through my dad’s mind at almost all times gave us a huge advantage.”
As Tyson Carter became a leader in his junior season, the team took flight. Starkville put away Hattiesburg, Meridian and region rival Madison Central in overtime to win the school’s first boys’ basketball state championship since 2010.
When the summer hit, Tyson Cater then hit the travel circuit, playing in numerous tournaments to enhance his recruiting profile.
“When traveling on the circuit, I had a lot of motivation,” Tyson Carter said. “I didn’t have a lot of looks. I wanted to get my name out there. I went hard every weekend. It never got tiring. I was doing something I love and I was really motivated to get that scholarship opportunity.”
When Tyson Carter returned to school, he had a bevy of Division I scholarship offers and a team to lead back to Jackson.
“He was a like a totally different player,” said Starkville High senior Keith Harris, who is headed to East Mississippi Community College. “He played well in some big tournaments and really his confidence went through the roof. It was a good confidence, too. It was like I can help lead you through anything.
“When you have somebody like that on your side, it’s exciting.”
Tyson Carter said the growth in leadership led to the growth in confidence.
“What I learned this year was how to fight through adversity as a person,” Tyson Carter said. “I learned how to play with confidence. It helps a lot when you can play with confidence. It really changes your outlook on any opponent and any situation. You always feel like you have things under control.”
Greg Carter knew when Tyson Carter played with that kind of mind-set, the team had unlimited potential.
“I was really proud of how he played during the summer,” Greg Carter said. “It was that rare opportunity where I could sit back and not be a coach but be a dad. I could view his game through the eyes of a father. It gave me a unique perspective.
“I really didn’t push him but I was there for advice. Certainly, when it came time to take visits and evaluate schools, we were there for advice. But there was no pushing, I wanted him to make the best decision for himself.”
After making that decision, Starkville rolled off a 23-4 season, which ended in a loss to Columbus in the state championship game. Tyson Carter was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Mississippi.
“I always wanted to (win that type of award),” Tyson Carter said. “I wanted accolades like that. After my junior year, I felt like hard work could get me there. I always thought I was one of the best but I had to prove myself. I feel like I did that this year.”
Tyson Carter now graduates and will have to prove himself again. The good news is dad will always be on the other end of the phone.
“My dad went through (playing at MSU), so he has given me a lot of advice,” Tyson Carter said. “Still, it’s my first time on all of this, so I really don’t know what to expect. I plan on working hard and continuing to get better. If nothing else, my dad has taught me hard work. It has gotten me a long way so far.”
The Dispatch’s All-Area Girls and Boys Basketball team
Large School Boys Player of Year: Tyson Carter (Starkville High)
Large School Boys Coach of Year: Luther Riley (Columbus)
Large School Girls Players of Year: Kelsey Jones (Starkville High) and Qiayon Bailey (West Point)
Large School Girls Coaches of Year: Kristie Williams (Starkville High) and Dashmond Daniel (West Point)
Small School Boys Player of Year: R.J. DeLoach (Columbus Christian)
Small School Boys Coach of Year: Danny Crawford (West Lowndes)
Small School Girls Player of Year: Sarah Dill (Oak Hill Academy)
Small School Girls Coach of Year: Brian Middleton (Oak Hill Academy)
All-Area Team Members
Aberdeen boys — Queshod Young (Sr.)
Aberdeen girls — Jakayla Dancy (Sr.)
Caledonia boys — Robert Hamilton (Jr.);
Michael Taylor (Sr.); Jamel Thomas (Jr.)
Caledonia girls — Haley McMurphey (Sr.); Cassie Obman (Sr.)
Central Academy boys — Wyatt Norris (Sr.)
Central Academy girls — Sadie Lindsey (Jr.); Allie Beth Rigdon (Jr.); Savanah Stapleton (Jr.)
Columbus boys — Demetrius Clopton (Sr.); Christopher Deloach (Sr.); Jartavius Dobbs (Sr.); Cameron Douglas (Sr.); T.J. Gray (Sr.); Javontae McDavid (Sr.); Artavious McDyess (Sr.); Robert Woodard II (Soph.)
Columbus girls — Zaria Jenkins (Jr.)
Columbus Christian boys — Dorian Brewer (Jr.); RJ DeLoach (Soph.); Jaborris Frazier (Jr.); Dekameron Mitchell (Jr.); Dawson Shaw (Jr.); Kimarri Whitfield (Jr.)
Columbus Christian girls — Celia Peal (Fr.)
Hamilton boys — Daniel Washington (Sr.)
Hamilton girls — Drucilla Blevins (Sr.); DesSheyonna Danner (Sr.); Myiah Dobbs (Sr.); Deidra Keaton (Fr.); Hope Manaseco (Sr.)
Hebron Christian boys — Clay Faulkner (Sr.); Payton Griffin (Sr.); Landon Hill (Sr.); Jessie Moore (Sr.); Roger Pratt (Jr.); Channing Tapley (Sr.)
Hebron Christian girls — Elana Carter (Soph.); Victoria Ferguson (Sr.); Rebekah Falkner (Jr.); Brooke Griffin (Jr.); Holly Hudson (Jr.)
Heritage Academy boys — Dalton Ford (Jr.); Dontae Gray (Soph.); Camden Sanders (Sr.)
Heritage Academy girls — Lauren Pole (Sr.)
New Hope boys — Carlos Brooks (Sr.); Heratio Jackson (Sr.); Toddy Jennings (Sr.); Willie Ousley (Sr.); Terryonte Thomas (Jr.)
New Hope girls — Lanoria Abrams (Jr.); Alaysha Jennings (Soph.)
Noxubee County boys — Devon Ball (Sr.); Jaqwavian Jones (Jr.)
Noxubee County girls — Shakiya Slaughter (Soph.)
Oak Hill Academy boys — Ken Dill (Jr.); Clark Hays (Sr.); Drew Riley (Sr.); Chance Wilson (Sr.)
Oak Hill Academy girls — Anna Kathryn Childress (Soph.); Sarah Dill (Sr.); Tanner Grubbs (Jr.); Maggie Gwathney (Soph.); Alice Amelia Wooten (Sr.)
Starkville Academy boys — Ade Amusa (Sr.); Codie Futral (Jr.); Luke Templeton (Sr.)
Starkville Academy girls — Adrienne Futral (Sr.); Bonner Hughes (Jr.); Sydney Passons (Jr.)
Starkville boys — Darrious Agnew (Jr.); Tyson Carter (Sr.); Keith Harris (Sr.); Jesse Little (Jr.)
Starkville girls — Tabreea Gandy (Soph.); Kelsey Jones (Jr.); Tanita Thompson (Sr.); Eryka Williams (Sr.)
Victory Christian boys — Chase Gore (Soph.); Brady Scarborough (Jr.)
Victory Christian girls — Alex Brown (Sr.); Faith Miley (Sr.); Alesha Taylor (Sr.)
West Lowndes boys — JaQuante Bell (Jr.); Devonte Chandler (Jr.); Marcus Farmer (Jr.); C.J. Smith (Soph.)
West Lowndes girls — Keiara Bridges (Sr.); Alexis Neely (Sr.); Shynice Watts (Soph.)
West Point boys — A.J. McFarland (Sr.); Kelly Martin (Sr.)
West Point girls — Qiayon Bailey (Sr.); Amari Heard (Fr.); Jamia Hollings (Fr.); Tia McCrary (Jr.)
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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