The Greenville High School gymnasium is looking bright and shiny after it was repolished last week. The players and coaches on the boys’ team appear to gleaming as well with the anticipation of the new season that begins on Tuesday at home against Greenwood.
The Greenville team is young but has high expectations. The youngster will be led by seniors A’tavius McChriston and Chris Peoples along with junior Demarion Gibson. Gibson is back this year after playing a season with Gentry and will likely be the Hornets’ leading scorer.
Peoples’ younger brother Marcus, is a 6-foot-4 eighth grader, who is moving up this year to play varsity ball after playing for Coleman Middle School last season. Head Coach Timothey Speech says Marcus is still young and still a baby ‘but has a chance to be something phenomenal.’
Adding to Greenville’s youthful talent are freshman guards and cousins Dior Williams and Kolbie Williams who should bring instant energy and offensive firepower to the young squad.
“We are young this year and we are probably going to be one of the youngest varsity teams that I have coached. We had a very good summer,” said Coach Speech.“Success this season would be making a deep run and getting to the Coliseum. We are young but we have an aggressive defense and there is a certain aura of confidence in these players. There is a winning mentality. They believe we can go out there and win. They compete to win. They get after it.”
Junior Demarion Gibson expects great things as well from both himself and his teammates. “We have a chance to win the state championship if we stay together as a team. We have great chemistry and we bond together.
Said A’tavius McChriston, “We can do a lot. Our goal is to get to the state championship. We have been working a lot and just got better and better.”
Coach Speech’s team will add some depth and size once the football team finishes its season. Players like Jaterius Jones, Jaydan Titus and Roderick Bell should come straight from the gridiron and make an immediate impact.
If history is any guide, Coach Speech and his Hornets will face tough competition in their district. Last season, three of the teams in Greenville’s district — Cleveland Central, Canton and Yazoo City — reached the quarterfinals of the MHSAA Class 5A State playoffs with Canton defeating Yazoo City for the title.
Coach Speech is hoping once again, the young men on the Greenville team are supported by the community.
“Everybody told me when I got here that we are still a basketball town. But, like any sport, people also want to see a good product and some exciting basketball.
“We need to support these kids in this time and day and in this era. They need support. A lot of times we see how we tear kids down, but we have to build them up. Whenever these kids go out there, they will have Greenville High on their chest. They are going to be representing this city and community.
“I think if the community comes out and starts to see some of these games, they will say, ‘Wow these kids are young but they are really, really playing good basketball’. I know the fans here know good basketball. They have seen it before and they understand it.”
