Local Sports
Boys prep basketball: POWER POINT
Michael CummingsNo alarms and no surprises: Just the way Tyler Creel and company wanted it Friday night.
Needing a win to keep pace with Good Hope for first place in Class 3A, Area 12 play — and the right to host the area tournament — Vinemont High’s boys basketball team left the result in no doubt Friday against host Hanceville.
Using a tough pressure defense and a quick-strike offense, the Eagles led 13-3 before fans had the chance to settle in. They finished the first quarter leading 17-5 and went into halftime with a 35-19 advantage.
After the break, it was vintage Creel.
The senior point guard keyed a blistering 13-0 run with 3-pointers on consecutive Vinemont possessions, leading the Eagles to a 54-27 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
All just another day at the office for Creel, who recently surpassed 1,000 points in his career. Or, more correctly, just another step in the master plan.
“If we win out the rest of the way, we’ll be No. 2 in the county and No. 1 in the area,” said Creel, who dropped a game-high 21 points on the host Bulldogs. “And that’s what we want to do, get a home game in the area tournament.”
Getting that home game will most likely come down to Vinemont’s home game on Tuesday against Good Hope. With one loss each in the area, both teams know the contest should be winner-takes-all for the right to host the Area 12 tournament.
And after what happened in last year’s tournament, Creel and Vinemont are motivated. To say the least.
“After losing to Good Hope in the area tournament last year, we came together and said that wasn’t going to happen again,” said Creel.
To make sure of that, the team worked out all summer in hot gyms, developing plenty of chemistry along the way.
“Everybody worked real hard,” said Creel. “We were in the gym every day all summer, it was the whole team.”
All the extra effort didn’t go unnoticed.
“He always works hard in the gym and in the weight room,” Eagles coach Bobby Meyer said. “He’s always been quick, always been strong. He’s probably the strongest guy on the team as far as leg work.”
Want proof? Despite standing about 5-foot-10, the athletic Creel has been known to dunk a regulation-size basketball. The feat has even made its way onto YouTube.
Talk about some serious hops — though it’s not something Creel plays up whenever he can.
“Yeah I can (dunk), but only on an (alley) oop,” said Creel. “I worked on it some during the summer.”
Dunker or not, Meyer knows he has one of the top guards in the county on his roster. As a dual-threat shooter and dribbler, Creel can be effective against any kind of defense.
“He’s a hard guy to guard because he’s so good off the dribble,” said Meyer. “But he can also shoot the 3. If you leave it open, he’ll take it.”
But is he the best point guard in the county? Who better to ask than Meyer, who’s seen Creel up close since the point guard broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore two years ago.
“He’s certainly got the most experience,” said Meyer. “Sometimes he doesn’t attack as much as he could, but when he goes, we go.”
And the rest of the county just tries to hold on.
Michael Cummings can be reached by e-mail at michaelc@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 258.
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