1991

e a ill travel \ennedy finds home with ECCC hoops

Since Bowen's first season at ECCC was last year, he didn't sec Kennedy as a high school perfor– mer at South Leake. Bowen did see him in a tryout at ECCC, but didn't offer Kennedy a scholarship. "He tried out for us the spring I got here," Bowen said. "He came up to me before Christmas this year and said, 'Coach, I tried out for you the spring you came in and you cut me.' "I told him I never claimed to be ve ry smart or a very good coach," Bowen offered. Kennedy remembered that try– out wilh a sly grin. "I came here in March (1990) and tried out and got the blade. I remind htm of that. That made me want to prove my point. I put it in my mind this summer that I was going to come back and work hard and beat out somebody for a spot." Kennedy scored 14 points in ECCC's win over Gulf Coast. It was Gulf Coast 's first loss to a Mississippi team !.his season. "He's been a pleasant surprise," Bowen added. "He's a really good player, a good leader, and a good person. He just knows how to play. We don't coach htm much. He knows how to get it done. He'U catch it in the paint and feel \\here the defense is playing him and jump up get off a shot that \\'111 go in_ ~ .. on the v. ~ o snt.:.. k in front of them an o a steal. H<: anticipates real v.-ell. H ability to kno"" how to pia> the game makes up for his lack of size. "I think he'll be a good four– year school player. People look at his size and sa) he can l play in- side, but he's playing in one of the best junior college leagues in the country and starting and is our second-leading

DECATUR-Everyboay'sen– d to make some mistakes as ey go through life. The main g to remember is that life must on. :ast Central Communlly Col- ~e second-year men's basketball ach Jay Bowen and sophomore rward Kevin Kennedy know Jt as well as anybody. Kennedy (6-3, 200) came to CCC two years ago to play foot– til Things didn't work out, so he :adcd to the hardwood with a lot ore success. "After I didn ' L get much play– mg time, I came out for basket– all," Kennedy said of the brief ootball career. He 's currently averaging 13.5 oints and 7. 2 rebounds for the 16-3 Warriors. In the eight games e's started, ECCC is 8-0. Kennedy is the first to under– an'.! t.nat mistakes can be made. ..I signed with Alcorn State and enttherc for one semester," he td after ECCC's 80-78 win over ulfCoast Thursday night. "I was Proposition 48 and doing no- bing but sitting out so I got tired f that. I called (ECCC footba ll ) oach (A.J.) Kilpatrick at Christ– as and that's when I came to ast Central. East Central tried to ecruit me right out ofhigh school, ul I dtdn 't come be.: I v. ent to A orn I m htake." ..At the Christmas break, he ap– roached me about playing ba– ketball," Bowen said of Ken– edy's freshman year. "We had ost a couple players so we took im on. He did real well for us." In the eight games Jte played as freshman, Kennedy averaged 3.8 oinlS and 1.4 rebounds. "When I came out, I didn 'tlook o get that much playing time but I thougm 1 could come in and help the team," Kennedy said. "At least did do that."

a big plus for ECCC

of COOL Ul ends. Nm, he' "With the se we're winning. I

p tsoi'm going to try hard tog . \\ e 'rc rca II y pulling ti gh t ""ether because we really want H go all the way." ----- ~