STARKVILLE — Stat stuffers don’t slack off.
Even if they don’t lead their team in scoring, stat stuffers are going to find a way to impact the stat sheet.
Regardless of the opponent, Codie Futral found a way to assert his will on a game. On most nights, the senior swingman led the Starkville Academy boys basketball team in scoring. But that wasn’t enough. In addition to pacing the Volunteers in scoring, Futral made sure he did his share when it came to rebounding the ball, handing out assists, and making steals.
Futral’s exploits became so consistent that Starkville Academy boys basketball coach Bruce Allsup could count on seeing Futral’s name at the top of multiple statistical categories.
“He knew that is what we expected as a coaching staff,” Allsup said. “We challenged him to do that. We knew he had that ability to do that. I don’t think he had any reservations about doing what he did because he is one of those guys who has that ‘it’ factor.”
For his accomplishments, Futral is The Dispatch’s Small Schools All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Futral averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 4.7 steals per game for the Volunteers. While his level or productivity might not have reached that of guard Russell Westbrook, the NBA’s king of the triple double (double figures in three statistical categories) with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Futral helped drive the Volunteers to a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA, District 2 title.
“I think he loves the game,” Allsup said. “When you love the game, you’re going to put some time into it. He has done that over the years. We are fortunate here that we have a lot of kids who like to play and get out there and play on their own and learn to play. I think his love for the game has helped him get where he is.”
Futral said Golden State guard Stephen Curry is his favorite player because of his explosive scoring ability. He said Westbrook is another player he likes because he is one of the best point guards in the league and he attacks the rim just like he tries to do.
Futral said Westbrook’s knack for being a team leader and love for the game are two other things he loves about the NBA All-Star.
When asked if his ability to fill up a stat sheet is another way he resembles Westbrook, he said he takes a lot of pride in that because not a lot of players are able to make consistent contributions in so many areas.
“I get yelled at a lot for not playing defense, but I try most of the times,” Futral said. “It means a little more when the coach relies on you and you know you have to (contribute in a lot of areas). It takes practice and extra time to be able to do that.”
In late April, Futral’s versatility helped him realize a goal and sign a scholarship to play basketball at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba.
Futral, who also was a standout on the school’s football and baseball teams, said basketball has been the sport he has thought about pursuing in school for a long time.
Futral plans to spend the offseason improving his shooting. He said he has been playing basketball ever since he could pick up a ball, and that it has been his “dream” to continue his career in college.
Allsup said Futral’s athleticism allowed him to be a leader in so many categories and so many ways on the basketball court. Allsup said Futral also did other things that didn’t show up in a stat sheet.
“He has great instincts for the game,” Allsup said. “He knows how to read the floor offensively and defensively and when to go get a rebound or a loose ball. He anticipates passes so well. He reads the defenses to know when to drive and to shoot. His instincts set him apart from a lot of players.”
Allsup feels those intangibles will help him make the transition to the college game. He also feels the versatility will help Futral fill any role he needs to.
“When you go from one step of basketball to another, if you don’t have those abilities, you’re just going to get washed under the rug,” Allsup said. “He has the athleticism to go and do that. It is going to be a mind-set with him. If he is willing to work and listen to his new coach and be a team player, I think he will succeed.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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