ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 12, 1996 TAG: 9612130013
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
One of the many pleasures in coaching high school sports is seeing young athletes grow.
That can be taken two ways. In the case of new Cave Spring boys' basketball coach Billy Hicks, he was happy to see his returning center, Alex Phillips, tack on 1 1/2 inches to his height over the summer.
He was probably happier, though, to see Phillips work on his athleticism and skills away from practice so that his ability on the court would grow.
Phillips, a 6-foot-6 senior, returns from a junior year in which he surprised everyone with his play. Now he's a known commodity and is the tallest starting player in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District.
``Alex has dedicated himself in the weight room the last couple of years,'' said Hicks, who moved up from being a Knights assistant last year, when two-year coach Chris Carr left to enter private business. ``He set a goal that he wants to play college basketball. He's tried to do the things that he needs to do to make himself a prospect. In my opinion, he needed to improve his athleticism.''
Make no mistake that Phillips' main goals are for his team to do well this winter, whether he scores 10 or 25 points a game, and to play basketball at college, whether it be NCAA Division II, III or higher.
Besides his work ethic, Phillips' growth spurt might be a key for him to attain that second goal. Most every Division III school in the area is already seeking his services.
``No one expected me to grow,'' said Phillips, whose father, Gary, is 6-foot-1 and whose brother, Skip, is just a shade taller. ``I think I might pull another inch out.''
While most teen-agers try to relax during the summer with a daytime job that might pull in a few extra bucks, Phillips was doing more.
``We'd exercise at 6 in the morning two or three times a week. We'd lift and then shoot free throws. I'd work on my post moves,'' he said.
Then he'd start the day of most teen-agers, going to work for his father, who runs a business renting portable toilets for construction sites. In the afternoon, Phillips would come back to the open gym.
Hicks says Phillips also started using a big block on the front of his shoe for extra weight. ``That increases the intensity of the workout on your calf muscle,'' said Hicks. ``He might have added 3 to 4 inches to his vertical leap.''
''Once I started getting serious about basketball, as I grew a little, I realized I'd be able to be a college player if I worked hard enough,'' said Phillips.
The Knights won their first two games during which Phillips scored 25 points. But he's not looking toward personal statistics.
``I wasn't that disappointed. The 11 points [in the opener against Alleghany] wasn't what I expected, but they played a zone,'' said Phillips.
Phillips was never a factor in basketball until last year. He had always started on the junior varsity level, but the breakthrough came as a junior when he averaged 13 points a game.
``I started getting letters from smaller schools [colleges] about whether I'd be interested in playing,'' Phillips recalled.
``A couple of Division I schools have called, but I try to be honest,'' said Hicks, who played and coached for Division III Roanoke College after starring at Cave Spring. ``I don't think he can play Division I. Central Florida asked if he'd be willing to go to prep school for a year. Alex's given no indication where he wants to go, other than he just wants to play somewhere.''
Hicks said Phillips has improved his open court game. ``We've allowed him to get out and run, but for us, he's a down-on-the-block, back-to-the-basket type player. We allow him to take the open [short] jumper, and he's improved on that.
``I feel like he'll be more dominant, but I don't think he'll sneak up on anyone. Last year he was a big kid in the middle that Cave Spring had when they triple-teamed [All-RVD] Jeff Lang.''
Oddly, Phillips might not have gone toward basketball had it not been for his father and brother. Phillips grew up in football-mad Texas, but he never tried that sport.
``My brother and dad both played football,'' said Phillips, who gave up any gridiron hopes following a tenure on a Pee Wee team. ``My brother broke [a bone in] his neck, and my father had a knee injury. They steered me away from football and toward basketball.''
``I just fell in love with basketball, and I never thought about much else. I played all year around when I moved back here, starting with AAU basketball.''
Last winter, he caught the attention of the Roanoke Stars AAU team and played with the likes of William Fleming's James Stokes, Timesland Player of the Year, and other local stars, who were on a state runner-up team that just missed a trip to the national championship when it lost to Boo Williams' outfit out of Hampton.
``I think playing with Stokes helped me because he was a good post player. We became good friends and had a good time,'' said Phillips.
Phillips doesn't work on his individual moves and strengths just to have a future in the game of basketball.
``All my expectations are to help my team out and do well in the district this year,'' said Phillips.
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: NHAT MEYER/Staff. Cave Spring High's Alex Phillips hasby CNBgrown to 6-foot-6 and has high hopes of playing basketball on the
college level. 2. Alex Phillips (54), who is the tallest starting
player in the Roanoke Valley District this season, jokes with Cave
Spring teammate Ricky Dierker during a recent game. (ran in South
edition only). color.