Last season, freshman Jones and Taylor played an important role in practice working against the Purple starters to prepare them for the upcoming game. They also saw limited playing time off of the bench to give the starters a quick break. Both Jones and Taylor did their jobs well as the Purples finished their season with a record of 29-7, 4th region champions and finished with an impressive state run.
This season, both Jones and Taylor are now starting for the Purples and are making the most of it. The young duo have imposed their size and athletic ability on opposing teams with Taylor averaging 10.6 and Jones 11.7 points per game. On the defensive side, Taylor and Jones average 15 rebounds per game combined while disrupting countless offensive shots from their opponents.
Joe Brunk “Voice of the Purples” breaks down what he sees from the two young sophomores.
“Kyran Jones (6’4”) – Kyran’s strength is his versatility. He’s more of a perimeter big man, with good range. Not afraid to jump out and make a 3 if the defense gives him space. Good first step if he needs to drive. Long wingspan allows him to cover a lot of different areas defensively, and has been used in spots to guard any position on the court”.
“Terry Ta
ylor (6’4”) – Terry is more your typical back to the basket big man. His strength is he is very game savvy, way more than a sophomore with his experience should have (He’s 14!). That and his footwork allow him to be at the right place at the right time, whether it’s an easy basket out of an offensive set, helping out coverage on defense, or getting a rebound on either end, he just has a knack for the ball. Good touch around the rim”.
Head Coach DG Sherrill: Terry and Kyran are best friends on the court and off the court. You generally do not see one without the other. Both of these young men are a pleasure to coach. What makes them enjoyable to coach is their desire to be good players combined with a strong work ethic and a ton of humility. Terry and Kyran are both solid students, they are well respected by their teachers and peers, and they love being in the gym. For all the similarities they have off the court, they are very different players on the court. Both are tremendous rebounders, and have very solid offensive games. But they also have very different skill sets that allow them to truly complement each other. Kyran is one of the best offensive rebounders I have ever coached; his instincts and athletic ability make it very difficult to keep him off the boards on either end of the floor. Kyran is very quick off the bounce and is a very good transition player. He continues to develop his perimeter game, and is a very capable 3 point threat. Kyran blocks shots and has the ability to put up impressive offensive numbers. But Kyran’s strongest attribute is his attitude toward the game of basketball. He has a strong desire to be a great player; he is very coachable, and very humble. Kyran doesn’t buy into hype, or self-promotion. We can see the potential on display every day in practice, and he continues to take huge steps forward. The success he in enjoying is well-deserved!
Terry has many of the same tools that Kyran has; he is long, athletic, and very diverse offensively. Terry plays the game like a veteran player! He has great court vision and tremendous footwork for a young player. We use Terry as our basket protector and interior offensive weapon, but in reality Terry can shoot the 3, and has very good handles. Like Kyran, Terry is a very humble young man. He is very respectful, and always puts team needs before his own. Terry has never asked me how many points or rebounds he gets in a game; the final outcome is the most important thing to him. Terry has what I like to refer to as an “old man’s game”. His footwork is so much more advanced than any player I have ever seen at his age, he is very crafty with shot selection inside the paint, and he does a tremendous job of facilitating our offense from the high post. He has a point guard mentality in a post player body.
Both of these young men have the intangibles, and while as a coach I would love to take credit for how they carry themselves on and off the court, I simply can’t! Kyran and Terry have families that have raised them to be great people. They truly are sincere, genuine young guys that are a joy to be around! They are also inseparable! We literally don’t say one of their names without saying the other. They finish each other’s sentences, and they are a tremendous resource for each other!
