College-bound Artis claims top honor - Mount Olive Tribune

By RUDY COGGINS

Assistant Editor

SEVEN SPRINGS — Spring Creek didn’t hide Tyrese Artis on the basketball court this season.

The lone returning starter from a 20-win team a year ago, the senior expected to be the focal point of opposing defenses this winter.

Coaches threw everything at the 6-foot, 2 1/2-inch combo guard/forward, who still managed to stuff the stat sheet at a rate of 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

“All of the eyes were on me,” Artis said. “My main concern was not to get rattled. My teammates look for me to score, so I had to do what I can. I think I did pretty well.”

Although Artis experienced a roller-coaster year with the Gators, his impressive performance led to his selection as the 2019-20 Mount Olive Tribune Boys’ Basketball Player-of-the-Year.

Joining Artis on the All-Tribune Team are Southern Wayne’s duo of Jamari Leach and Lenier Pocknett, and North Duplin’s tandem of DJ Simmons and Christian Powell.

All five players averaged double figures this season.

“He knew he was going to get the best from everybody. We definitely weren’t hiding him,” said Spring Creek head coach Taylor Jones. “I’ve had a lot of good kids come through the last few years and he’s just as good as any of them. He made up for things he lacked by being a high-character kid.”

Headed to Pitt Community College, Artis took each game as a challenge.

The most-experienced player on the hardwood, he played unselfishly throughout the first half of the season. He made sure he kept his teammates involved in the game.

Jones pled with him to take over.

Once Artis felt comfortable in that role, his production helped turn a “down” season into one that caught some recruiters’ attention. He ended up shooting 70% at the free throw line, 50% from the floor and 35% from behind the 3-point arc.

“It was very difficult,” Artis said of the overall team outcome. “We just came off a year of winning 20 games, so it wasn’t what we expected at all. We just had to play every day, try to get better at practice and in games.”

One of three seniors on the All-Tribune Team, Simmons paced the Rebels’ offense with 15.2 points an outing. He shot 70% at the free throw line, pulled down 4.7 rebounds and logged 43 steals.
Powell, a junior, collected 11 points and 5.4 rebounds. He posted season highs in points (24) and rebounds (14) against Spring Creek, and reached double figures in nine games.
Fully recovered from an injury that forced him to miss part of his junior campaign, Leach came back in full force this season. The multi-sport athlete registered 17.9 points, 3 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game. He finished his prep career with 760 points.
Pocknett, a sophomore, averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and nearly two blocks a game. He shot 50% from the floor.