THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220592
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 41 lines
A size advantage in basketball usually refers to height. But weight can be a weapon, too. Check out Tallwood's Terrell Taylor.
The Lion's 6-7 1/2 sophomore gave up more than three inches to Kempsville's Brian Bersticker when the teams met last week. But by using his 60-pound weight advantage in the post, Taylor was able to ``body up'' the future North Carolina Tar Heel and shoot at will.
Taylor scored 31 points, 22 in the second half, and grabbed 15 rebounds in the Lions' 61-59 upset.
``I remember Brian blocking my shot twice in the first half,'' Taylor said. ``So when he got in foul trouble I tried to take it to him. When I got my body against him he couldn't jump.''
The result was a flurry of short jumpers and stickbacks that fueled a comeback from a 33-24 halftime deficit.
Taylor spent last season on the junior varsity, but gained valuable experience last summer with an AAU team that featured Western Branch's David Fanning and Nathan Chappell, Norview's Keith Willis and Indian River's Antwan Stukes.
Taylor, who turned 16 on Jan. 8 and wears size-16 shoes, says he's still growing. But as long as he keeps producing - he's fourth in the area in scoring at 19.8 points per game - there will be no discussion of a weight problem.
``Whatever I eat, coach Pope can run it off,'' Taylor said, referring to Lions coach Johnny Pope.
Taylor's big game came three nights after one of his worst, a 4-point effort in a 40-33 loss to Booker T. Washington.
``Coach Pope called us Beach Boys after that. It made us mad,'' Taylor said.
With a few more outings like the one against Kempsville, Pope will be feeling nothing but good vibrations. ILLUSTRATION: [Terrell Taylor]