Willie W. Bonvillain
November 20, 2013
Patterson still alive after hard-fought victory
November 27, 2013
Louisiana Tech center Gibby Talbot spent his entire summer doing what he seemingly does best: growing.
But this time, Talbot’s growth wasn’t in height, but rather in cardio and brute strength.
That’s good news for the Bulldogs’ 2013-14 squad.
Already standing 6-feet, 11-inches, Talbot said he worked as hard as he ever has this summer to sculpt his body into one capable of maintaining the pace and tempo of college basketball.
Now visibly larger and noticeably stronger, the Ellender graduate weighs 280-plus pounds of mostly muscle. Talbot said he is ready to contribute to his team as they look to chase a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Talbot’s words match his output, as he scored 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from the field in a recent blowout win against the Centenary.
“Going into this season, my main focus was just getting more time on the floor, getting more minutes and being more productive,” Talbot said. “My mission is to be out there as often as I can doing whatever the team needs me to do to win.”
Talbot is entering his sophomore season with Louisiana Tech.
He said he’ll remember his first go-round in college for the rest of his life.
The Bulldogs had a magical season last season and posted a 27-7 record, while also winning the WAC Regular Season Championship. In the middle of that run, Louisiana Tech pushed themselves into the national Top 25 and also won 18-straight games from mid-December to early March.
Talbot and his teammates have already received a championship ring for their efforts, which thrust the team into the National Invitational Tournament.
“Having a season like that really puts a lot of things into perspective,” Talbot said. “I’ve been a part of a lot of good teams, but last year was the first time I was ever a part of something as special as that. We had a great group of guys and great leadership. Looking back, a lot of the things we did were incredible. I think it’s safe to say I’ll remember how much fun we had as a group for the rest of my life. It was amazing.”
But for as special as the season was, Talbot admits it was bittersweet – the source of his motivation throughout the summer.
While Louisiana Tech took America by storm early in the season, the Bulldogs faltered late and lost their final two regular season games of the year. Tech then limped into the WAC Tournament and was eliminated by the University of Texas-San Antonio – a team they had beaten twice in the regular season.
The losses shattered the Bulldogs’ hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament. And to make it doubly frustrating for Talbot, he was forced to sit and watch most of it unfold from the sidelines as a reserve player on the team.
Talbot averaged 4.1 minutes per game as a freshman and averaged 2.4 points per game. The Tri-parish native said he understands why his number wasn’t called more often last season. Because of his huge frame, he struggled to keep up with the athleticism of opposing big men – especially on the defensive side of the floor.
“That’s where I really struggled last year,” Talbot said. “It was tough for me to move around the floor and defend some of the quicker, more agile players that we faced. I knew my goal was to put myself in a position to see the floor more often. To do that, I knew that was the area I needed to pinpoint first.”
So Talbot used that knowledge to spend his summer hard at work. The former Ellender standout said he ran long distances to keep his cardio high, while also focusing on short spurts to increase his explosiveness.
In the weight room, Talbot said he worked to trim the last bits of baby fat off his massive frame. In doing so, he also became visibly more thick in muscle – upper-body strength that will allow him to better handle the college game.
“I’m a better player today because of that work,” Talbot said. “There’s no question. I think I’ve gotten better at a lot of the areas that I struggled in last year. I think the game as a whole just seems to come easier to me and seems to be a bit slower to me now.”
The results tend to agree with the local giant’s statements.
Talbot has doubled his minutes so far this season and has found early success. Against Centenary, the Gents had no answer for Talbot, who scored at will – 11 points in 12 minutes.
In that game, Talbot also recorded his first-ever collegiate slam dunk.
But more important than the accolades was a win. It was Louisiana Tech’s first of the season.
Talbot said the Bulldogs have a special team again this year – another squad capable of a postseason run.
This time around, he hopes to be out there when it’s all on the line.
“We have a tougher schedule this year. We play some of the better teams in the country,” Talbot said. “But I think that’s going to make us better. I think by the time conference comes around, we’ll look back at these games and be thankful we played them. We think we have another great team that can have a great year.
“I’m just ready to do my part and do anything to help my team be better.”
LESLIE HELPING BLINN
While Talbot and Louisiana Tech grind and push forward toward the NCAA Tournament, a Vandebilt graduate is looking to make his mark on the junior college level.
Former Terriers’ standout Lionheart Leslie is enjoying his first season with Blinn College in Texas – a two-year school that competes in Region XIV Athletics within the junior college ranks.
So far this season, Leslie has shined. The true freshman started seven of the Buccaneers’ first eight games, while also averaging 10.6 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Leslie’s consistency has also helped solidify Blinn. He’s scored in double digits in five of the eight games the team has played.
“It’s been awesome man,” Leslie said this week about his college experience. “People sometimes clown on junior college ball. But the truth is that a lot of these players here were really highly recruited and are some of the better players out there. I love to play against the best, so it’s been amazing for me.”
Leslie’s transition to the college ranks has helped a program turnaround within the school’s basketball program.
Blinn had a losing season last year and was one of the bottom-half teams within their conference.
But the Bucaneers are 7-1 so far this season and are averaging well more than 100 points per game.
Like Talbot, Leslie wowed his home fans at a game recently by throwing down a thrilling one-handed slam dunk.
“I got the ball, saw that I had a lane and I just took it,” Leslie said. “I rose up, got in the air and just put it down. It was amazing.”
Louisiana Tech sophomore center and Ellender Memorial High School graduate Gibby Talbot posts up for position during a game this season against Centenary. The 6-foot, 11-inch post player said he spent his entire summer working on his conditioning and strength. As a result, he believes that he is ready to see more playing time in 2013-14 as the Bulldogs chase a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
