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Hernando guard Jerrell Graham came up big against the Leopards' toughest opponents.
By KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 10, 2002
HERNANDO -- To get a feel for Jerrell Graham's value to Hernando, just consider how the senior guard fared against the Leopards' best opponents.
In a loss to eventual Class 3A state champion St. Augustine Nease, he scored 26 points. In a win over Wesley Chapel, a 3A state semifinalist, he finished with a career-high 43 points.
Additionally, Graham scored 30 points against Tampa Jesuit and 29 against Citrus, two of the region's top teams.
"Offensively, the kids really looked to him to lead," Hernando coach Jeff Laing said.
Can you blame them?
Graham completed his career with 1,419 points, 18 shy of Jason Sartor's school record. Graham's 43-point effort was two shy of the school single-game mark established by Phillip Jones.
Graham approached Sartor's records for points (685) and field goals (277) in a season, finishing with 629 points and 233 field goals.
"I like going to the hole," Graham said. "But I can shoot, too."
Really, he did it all.
Graham, a three-year starter, averaged 21.7 points to lead Citrus and Hernando counties. He shot 47.5 percent from the field (53.9 on two-point attempts; 34 percent on 3-pointers), while averaging 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
He failed to reach double figures in scoring once.
"If things were going well for him, things cranked up for everybody else," Laing said. "He set the tone for us offensively."
Behind Graham, the Leopards went 15-14, were the Class 3A, District 6 runners-up and reached the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Before Graham's arrival, Hernando had been to the playoffs once in 22 years.
Graham also performed on defense.
He recorded a team-best 54 steals, the most important of which came against Dunnellon in a semifinal of the District 6 tournament.
With his team down two points, Graham swiped the ball from a Dunnellon player and passed to teammate Paul Bates, who made a tying layup with four seconds left.
Hernando won 83-76 in overtime, sending the Leopards to the playoffs.
"If the other team got on a run, he had the ability to get us back on track," Laing said.
Graham is waiting for his ACT results, but Laing said NCAA Division II Florida Southern and NAIA Flagler College have shown interest.
If he plays in college, the 6-foot Graham's height likely would result in a move to point guard, which he played as a junior.
"He definitely has the ball-handling ability," Laing said. "The adjustment may be more on the mental side.
"We relied on him to be our main scorer. At the next level, he'll have to give it up more, but he possesses the ability to create for others, too."
-- Staff writer Frank Pastor contributed to this story.