PREP BASKETBALL: Young Ready to Shine for Vikes

BLUFF CITY, Tenn. – Corey Young made it work. He did what he had to. And now he’s ready to hoop.

While nearly every other major player in the Big Nine Conference had carte blanche during the offseason – namely easy, steady hours at their chosen gym as soon as school let out on a daily basis – Young was practicing another game: football.

As Young’s opponents were fine-tuning their moves to the rim, honing their skill sets and improving upon their weaknesses, Young, clad in shoulder pads, cleats and a helmet, played both ways – cornerback and wide receiver – for the Tennessee High Vikings.

But, still, Young made it work.

As soon as Tennessee High football practice was over and Vikings football coach Greg Stubbs’ bullhorn was put away for the day, Young quickly escaped the pads-and-helmet routine, pulled his best Clark Kent, and found an outlet on the basketball court. And as the football season wore on and daylight became rarer, Young started waking up early in the morning to hit the hardcourt.

There, Young, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound senior point guard,practiced his own moves to the rim. He worked on his outside shot and dribbling techniques. And Young, a Bristol native who began playing basketball at the age of 5 with the help of his older brother, fine-tuned a game that already places him in the top tier of point guards in the Big Nine Conference.

“Sometimes I was so tired,” Young said. “But I had to get my shots in.”

Young keys a Tennessee High (18-13, 9-7 Big Nine Conference in 2007-08) squad that has the potential to compete with Dobyns-Bennett and Science Hill for this season’s Big Nine crown.

“Everybody’s going to look at Tennessee High as being the underdog,” Young said. “But this year, I say if we play our hardest every game, I say we can be up there at the top one-two spot and maybe show some teams that Tennessee High is still there.”

While Vikings coach Roby Witcher praised Young’s talent and on-the-court focus, Witcher also challenged Young to reach double digits in scoring this year. Young said he’d love to reach that mark. But he also understands that Tennessee High’s offense runs through – not for – him.

“I have to get my team going,” Young said. “We’ve got the guards and we’ve got the post players to do everything that we need to do. So, on my behalf, if I can get everyone started, then my team can win some games this year.”

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