Ellender’s Talbot making mark with giant frame

To his parents, he’s Gilbert.

To his teammates, that name is shortened to his given name, Gibby.

There’s not much else “short” about Ellender High School junior center Gilbert “Gibby” Talbot.

Standing 6-foot-9-inches and weighing 270 pounds, Talbot isn’t known by his short, nor long name to opponents, but he’s instead known as the tallest player in the Tri-parish area.

“A lot of people pretty much know me as, ‘Hey, that’s the tall guy from Ellender,’” Talbot said with a laugh. “That’s pretty much how everyone remembers me.”

Being the “tall kid” is nothing that’s new to Talbot.

Growing up, the Patriots’ center said he was always the biggest kid in his circle of classmates and friends n for better or for worse.

“When I was younger, I’d go out and I’d play outside a lot like every other kid does, but I can remember that hide and go seek wasn’t my favorite game,” Talbot said. “Because a lot of those other kids, they’d hide behind garbage cans and trees. But with me, it was hard, because I’d have to hide behind boats, houses or trucks, so that was pretty challenging.”

From a large young boy, Talbot became an even bigger young man, beginning his high school career at Vandebilt Catholic.

But Talbot decided to transfer to Ellender following his ninth grade year.

That was welcomed news to Patriots’ coach Scott Gauthreaux, who knows a thing or two about height, himself, standing 6-foot-6-inches.

“When he got here a few summers ago, he was about 6’4 or 6’5 and I told his dad that I’d never coached a kid bigger than me, but I’d like to before I retire,” Gauthreaux said. “So his dad ended up sending him here as a sophomore and he’s kept growing, but the good thing about it is he’s progressing as a basketball player, as a person and as a student, too.”

Progression was something Talbot said he was in dire need of on the basketball floor when he first arrived at Ellender.

Because of his big size, Talbot said he really struggled initially to develop the coordination he needed to be a successful basketball player.

“When I first started playing, honestly, I could barely dribble a basketball,” Talbot said. “I didn’t have a lot of the natural skills that I needed, except for the size.”

Now, Talbot is a polished player who has used hard work to become a starter and key contributor for the Patriots.

“I’ve made a drastic improvement, just a total 360 degree turnaround from where I was my 9th and 10th grade years to this year,” Talbot said. “I can do some pretty special things now n some things I really couldn’t have ever imagined doing then.”

Gauthreaux agreed and said Talbot’s emergence is one of the deciding factors in Ellender switching to a more slower-paced offense this season, compared to their usually up-tempo brand of basketball.

He also added that the center’s easy transition was made much smoother by Talbot’s laid-back personality.

A self-described joker, Talbot is the Patriots’ biggest joker n in both size and frequency of one-liners.

“His personality helped Gibby adjust a lot easier than it would have been for most of us who would have been in his situation,” Gauthreaux said.

One needs some loose skin to survive in the hostile environments in the Tri-parish area, where Talbot has said he’s been called multiple names by opposing fans.

He said he understands it’s all in fun and uses it to fuel his game.

“The white Yao Ming’s probably the favorite. Everybody everywhere I go calls me the white Yao Ming,” he said with a laugh. “That or the tree. I get the tree a lot, too.”

But basketball’s not the only wrinkle Talbot has in his athletic repertoire. Talbot is also a baseball player at Ellender, pitching and also playing first base.

Like Gauthreaux, Talbot’s former baseball coach, Gus Brown, said he sees nothing but good traits and big heart from his biggest player.

Brown and Talbot both agree, baseball is probably Gibby’s most polished athletic product.

“Gibby’s a hard worker,” Brown said, who is now the baseball coach at Terrebonne. “He’d practice when we’d practice. He’d practice the days that we didn’t practice on Sunday’s, too. I’d go out there and cut the grass and he’d be out there with his dad out there working from the tee or pitching on the side. He’s a terrific kid.”

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, it is difficult pitching to a kid that big.

“I get some pretty rough calls,” Talbot said with a laugh. “I get some strikes that are at my ankles, because that’s where everyone else’s knees are.”

And the growing might not yet be finished, either.

Talbot said doctors project he has another few inches to go by looking at his booming size-19 foot.

Nike only makes up to a size-18, so on game day, Talbot just has to take one for the team.

“Hopefully I can get another two or three inches,” he said. “Getting up there to about seven foot. That would be pretty nice. That would be a big help.”

With or without the added height, Talbot hopes to carry a third name soon n two-sport college athlete.

“You never know,” he said. “Hopefully there’s a coach out there who wants a guy with size who’s willing to work hard to get better. That would definitely be something I’d want to chase.”

Brown said there’s no doubt it’s within his former player’s reach.

“Gibby’s going to do whatever he sets his mind to,” he said. “He’s one of those kids who can do whatever he goes out and tries to do.”

Until then, he’s Gibby, short for Gilbert, and short in no other way, shape or form.

Ellender junior center Gibby Talbot shows his massive 6-foot-9-inch frame, towering over his freshman teammate Dustin Parfait, who stands just above 5-foot. Talbot is the tallest basketball player in the Tri-parish area and is working to improve his game in his second season with Ellender. CASEY GISCLAIR