KFDM COOP Posted March 21, 2008 Report Posted March 21, 2008 Gamble’s squad big on talent By Cody Pastorella The Port Arthur News BEAUMONT — After a pair of practices with this year's Port Arthur News/James Gamble Awards team, head coach James Gamble is still getting a feel for the squad. One thing Gamble is sure of is that this year's team is not short on talent. Short is the operative word, however, as this is a much shorter team than the previous groups Gamble has directed in going 4-0 against Houston area opponents coached by Memorial’s Terrul Henderson. Henderson is reportedly bringing three players taller than Ozen's Willie Jefferson, who is Gamble’s biggest player at 6-7. Jefferson, a two-time District 22-4A Defensive Player of the Year winner, is the only true post player Gamble has this year. "This is certainly not a very big team," Gamble said. "And that is definitely a concern because this isn't the size we've had in the past. But a lack in size does not mean we can’t play quality basketball." Gamble added that his team's lack in height will not change his coaching style. "I'm old school," he said. "I only know one way and that's the way we're going to do things. That's what I have confidence in. I think it's ("X's" and "O's") something they (players) are grasping very well." Gamble, who guided Lincoln High School to four state championships in the 1980s and a total of 641 wins, said this year's team doesn't have a real superstar. "We have some very quality talent on this team," he said. "There are some fine athletes here with very good credentials. We have three All-State players, some district MVPs and the list goes on, so we aren't lacking in talent. "It's just a matter of can these young men playing as well as they have to play to win, and everybody is going to have to contribute on this team. "This team doesn't have a real superstar, so we're going to need everyone's best. It's a coach’s responsibility to find the right combination of players and it's the coach’s responsibility to get these boys to develop together." The one player Gamble may be able to lean on for a superstar effort is East Chamber's Tramain Thomas, who is in his second year with the team. Recently named as the Willie Ray Smith Defensive Player of the Year in football, Thomas was the District 24-2A MVP this season and an All-State selection as well. He averaged 22 points, 11 boards, three steals and four assists. Thomas, who has a football scholarship to Arkansas, will be sharing the guard duties with four other Mr. Outside finalists, including Ozen's Breon Johnson, Silsbee's Shannon Robinson, West Brook's Donte Lopez and Hardin-Jefferson's Jarvis Bernard. Robinson, at 5-6, was an All-State selection and the MVP of the Class 3A regional playoffs. He averaged 25 points per game this season, which marks the highest for any player on the team. Joining Jefferson in the paint will be Mr. Inside finalists Ozen's Jacoby Joseph, West Brook's Marcus Malbrough, Central's Jamar Gulley and Nederland's Chris Hammond.
Master T Posted March 21, 2008 Report Posted March 21, 2008 I'm going to predict the starting line up for the Gamble's team is PG-Robinson, SG-Benard, G/F-Thomas, F/P-Gulley, and P-Jefferson. Does anybody knows the roster for the Houston team yet
BLUEDOVE3 Posted March 22, 2008 Report Posted March 22, 2008 Is there a schedule for these games posted?
bulldog81 Posted March 22, 2008 Report Posted March 22, 2008 This is the rest of the PA News Article: Bernard is the other All-State player on the team. Bernard averaged 22 points for HJ and was the MVP for District 21-3A. Practice resumes Monday and will continue through Thursday. The game, which was originally announced for Thursday night have been moved back to 8 p.m. Friday at the Parker Center. On Saturday night, the winner of the Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside Awards will be announced at a banquet at the Parker Center. Gamble said the thing he is most impressed with so far is the players eagerness to learn what he expects them to do. "They aren't in the condition that I would like them to be in," he said. "Their conditioning is a little worse than some of our previous teams but they are eager to learn and very attentive. "The one thing I can see is that we were better in our second practice than we were in our first, and that is a good thing. This group has a very good work ethic and you always appreciate that as a coach." Gamble’s team had its closest call last year when it won 89-87 in double overtime on a basket by Kountze’s C>j. Busty with one second left.
bulldog81 Posted March 22, 2008 Report Posted March 22, 2008 Does anybody knows the roster for the Houston team yet Coach Henderson coaches an AAU team in Houston called the Franchize All Stars. I've heard that this is the team that he is bringing.Franchize All Stars went 3-0 in last weekends Spring Ice Breaker. Report from RCSSPORTS.COM: "Speaking of middle schoolers, the Franchize AS who features one of the best frontcourt duos (Ray Turner from Jones HS and North Carolina recruit John Henson from Round Rock HS) also boasted the nation’s top seventh grader DJ Griggs. Hundreds of fans wished upon a possible matchup between the Hoops and Franchize AS, but it never materialized after their coach (Terrul Henderson) turned down the opportunity in favor of playing all of his game against out of town teams. Ironically, Henderson is head coach at Port Arthur Memorial HS, and a packed house was on tap to see him coach against the Port Arthur Heat Elite featuring storied PA Memorial HS star, J’Covan Brown. Joining Brown in the backcourt was very talented soph DeCarlos Frank (Beaumont Ozen HS). PA Heat jumped out to a 10pt first half lead, but the Franchize AS made the needed adjustments at halftime and pounded the ball inside to Turner (24pts) and Henson (10pts) for a 62-56 win. Xavier Roberson (Yates HS) was nursing a sore back and did not suit up nor play for the Franchise All Stars."
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