While there is no hard, fast method for predicting success on the field of play, coaches, pundits and fans look at several key indictors as they attempt to glean what kind of seasons their teams will have. Three important factors people focus on are talent, maturity and leadership. Teams need good players. They also need older, experienced players. And they need good, experienced players who are also leaders. The 2013-2014 Tift County Blue Devils have all three, and they have them in abundance.
Last year, led by current Kansas Jayhawk Brannen Greene, Tift County went to the Elite Eight. This season, half the Blue Devils 18-man roster is made up of seniors. Four of those seniors start. Just about every senior will have a chance to play in college if he chooses. Head coach Eric Holland and his team have high expectations for the 2013-2014 season. “Our goals are always the same. We want to win the region championship first and foremost. Then we want to win a state title,” he says.
The Blue Devils have been very close in the last couple of years. This group of players has won the region tournament twice, the regular season twice, and been to the Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet 16 since they have been in Tift County’s program. They’ve also been a part of three straight 20-win teams. Holland believes this team has what it takes to take the next step, to get over the hump and bring a state championship home to Tifton. “You’ve got to have the right leadership with the right kind of talent,” he says. “When your best players are your best leaders, you have a winning formula. They have to win on and off the court. We feel we have that this year.”
Holland believes that the nine seniors on this year’s team will set the tone for the season. They will determine just how long Tift County plays this season. “They’ve been charged with leading us in the right direction. This is the biggest senior class we’ve had since we went to the Final Four. We’re very excited about each of these players.
Ali Vaughn (#3) is a 6’5” power forward who can play almost anywhere. He’s solid in the paint and on the perimeter. This is Vaughn’s third year in the program and he has been Tift County’s sixth man of the year two years in a row. Ali can start but we like him off the bench. He can defend multiple positions and finish well with both hands,” comments Holland. Vaughn averages eight points, seven rebounds and three steals per game. Several mid-major programs are looking at him, and he will have several different schools from which to choose as he considers his future.
Stefon Mills (#5) is one of the most intelligent players on the floor – from either team. Mills works hard and studies the nuances of the game. Mainly a defensive specialist, the six-footer almost always guards the other team’s best player. “He’s very smart and is one of the hardest working players on the team. Stefon is like an extension of the coaching staff,” says Holland.
Ledarius Stewart (#10) runs the point for Tift County. He’s a four-year player and three-year starter. Holland calls Stewart one of the best point guards in the state. He’s a strong, athletic 6’1”, and he has offers to play both football and basketball in college. Stewart averages 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. “He’s keeping his options open. He will go wherever he gets the best offer, whether it be football or basketball,” says Holland.
Tadric Jackson (#12), a shooting guard, is one of the state’s best all-around basketball players. Holland believes Jackson has the opportunity to be named Mr. Georgia Basketball this year. He’s already committed to Georgia Tech and is averaging 24 points per game. He already has 2,000 points in his career and is easily the Blue Devils’ best player.
D.J. Bryant (#15) is another shooting guard who also has colleges pursuing him. He stands 6’4” and is an excellent shooter. Holland says he has one of the best shots of any player in Georgia. Bryant is averaging 12 points per game.
Nate Thomas (#20) is a 6’6” forward who played junior varsity last year. He has made the most significant improvement over the last year and has far exceeded the expectations the Tift County coaching staff had for him. Several Division I and Division II schools are after him. He’s a long, athletic player averaging four points and six rebounds per game.
Rashawn Kennedy (#21) is a shooting guard who puts up six points and two rebounds a night. He is a lanky 6’5” and is being pursued by multiple Division II programs.
Steven Waters (#25) is one of Tift County’s strongest role players. He gets a couple of points per game but he usually accounts for at least three charges a night. At 6’3”, 205 pounds, he is one of the Blue Devils’ best defenders. “He isn’t that big but he plays about 6’6” and 230,” says Holland.
Quay Ferguson (#32) is a four-year player who has been in the program for four years. He’s another one of the Blue Devils’ important role players who can do a little bit of everything. He has a great shot, can play defense and is willing to do anything his team needs.
“All these guys play really well. This is my 14th year coaching and my fifth year here at Tift County. This is the closest team we’ve had. They have bonded well and everyone knows their jobs. They’ve had a lot of success already and we’re ready to get to the next level. Our goal for our players is to leave the program in better shape than it was when they first got there. This team has done that. When they leave, our program will better and stronger than it was before them,” says Holland.
Special Feature/South Georgia/January 2014
Tift County Blue Devils Seniors
Tift County High School
Tifton, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
Loaded with talent and leadership, Tift County poised to make another strong playoff run
