The Columbus High School boys basketball team showed Friday night how good it can be.
Jay Jay Swanigan had 14 points to lead a group of 11 Falcons that scored in a 63-39 victory against Marion (Ark.) on Friday night in the final game of day one of the 18th-annual Joe Horne Columbus Christmas Invitational at Columbus High.
Columbus (8-2) was slated to play New Hope on Saturday night in the final game of the tournament. That game was completed too late for this edition. A story from that game will appear in Monday’s edition.
Against Marion (Ark.), Cameron Douglas, Chris Deloach, and Robert Woodard had nine points and Javonta McDavid had seven in a balanced effort that helped Columbus bounce back from losses to Starkville and Madison Central.
“It does (show how good we can be), but we made mistakes people don’t see that we can improve on,” Columbus coach Sammy Smith said.
Smith said the Falcons didn’t rotate defensively, didn’t keep ballhandlers in front of them, and didn’t communicate on either end of the floor enough for his liking. Even though he said those are “small” things, he wants to impress on his players that each item can add up and present a bigger problem. In fact, he emphasized one defensive possession could make the difference in a close game.
“The young guys have to keep growing up,” Smith said. “If they keep growing up and keep getting better, it will be OK.”
Smith said the Falcons have been working on making the extra pass, which is why he was pleased Friday night to see the team have so much success on offense. He said the Falcons’ effort epitomized how he wants his players to share the ball so everyone is tougher to guard because defenses won’t be able to key in on one player.
Smith also was excited to see his team stick to its unselfish habits after a slow start shooting the ball from the field. Once the Falcons found their rhythm, the players’ willingness to make the extra pass made things even easier.
“We want to move the basketball,” Smith said. “We don’t want the ball to stick. We want to play together.”
Swanigan, a senior, is one of the only returning players who had significant playing time last season. Smith said he is looking to Swanigan, who is coming off the bench, to be a leader for younger players like Woodard, a freshman guard/forward.
“Woodard can be as good as he wants to be,” Smith said. “I know he wants to be good, and I know he is going to work at it, but the other guys have to help push him to be better like he is pushing them.”
Smith liked the energy Swanigan had Friday night. Swanigan’s activity came through on offense, as he used his quickness to create on the block and to attack the offensive glass to give the Falcons second and third scoring opportunities.
Swanigan agreed Columbus can be a pretty good team if it comes together and plays together. The Falcons showed Friday they are capable of doing that by sharing the basketball and showing patience to find a better shot.
“We have been doing pretty good,” Swanigan said. “It is still an on-going process. Now we have to talk more on defense.”
Swanigan feels Smith’s powers of persuasion will help the lessons sink in. As a senior, Swanigan knows Smith expects him to do the right things and to set the tone for everyone else. That’s why he feels he needs to step up more to ensure the Falcons continue to play like a “family.” If they do, he feels good things will happen.
“If we do that, we can go a long way, a very long way. We have to come together and communicate more.”
Junior center Artavious McDyess, who is the son of former NBA standout Antonio McDyess, is another Falcon who was active inside. The 6-foot-7 center also saw playing time last season, but he was learning his way and adjusting to the speed of the varsity game. This season, McDyess said he feels stronger and a little more comfortable in the post. He said he has gained 10 pounds, which helps him hold his own a little better. The added weight works well with McDyess’ length, which he used to block at least three shots and affect other shots in the lane.
“I thought Artavious played one of his better ballgames,” Smith said. “He is scoring the basketball better.”
McDyess feels he is working harder than he did last year and is being more active on the court. He also believes he has matured a lot and wants to continue to work to get stronger so he can realize his full potential. If McDyess does that, watch out because the Falcons will have another active big man who can make them a downright ornery family to have to contest with in the paint.
“We can be really good as long as we work as a team,” McDyess said. “(Sharing the basketball) is going to be important because we are going to have to work as a team, not for yourself.
“I don’t think we did it as well as well as we could have tonight.”
Smith likes the possibilities when he puts all of those pieces together. He feels his team showed Friday it can go 10-12 players deep, even though it played without Jarin Thompson, who was out with an ankle injury, and post player Demetrice Clopton, who had two points and was in foul trouble for most of the game.
Coming off back-to-back Class 6A, Region 3, District 4 losses, Smith hopes the Falcons can use the latest effort as a blueprint for future success. Columbus will play Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Forest Hill before returning to district action Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, at Northwest Rankin. It also will play Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, in the New Hope High Classic.
“We can be pretty (good), but, at the same time, when you go to nine, 10 11 on our bench, you get even younger,” Smith said. “But we are still deep enough. We want that eighth, ninth, and 10th man to be ready in case the fifth, sixth, and seventh man isn’t playing well.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.