Jumping onto a new athletic team can be tough, but Indian River senior Jacob Mitchell isn’t losing any momentum each time he suits up with the basketball team. The 6-foot, 5-inch tall transfer is finding his niche with the “Green and Gold” after his first three years with Sussex Tech, and he’s quickly closing in on a milestone.

Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Power forward Jack Cole (22) soars up to the basket for a rebound last week in Indian River’s victory against Stephen Decatur.

Following the team’s 60-47 win at Laurel this past Tuesday, he rests only 65 points shy of 1,000 – an accomplishment that would pay homage not only to him, but to the team, said head coach Marvin Phillips.

“This game is all about the kids,” said Phillips. “Having Jacob reach this goal says a lot about him as an athlete and about our team. It will help them build confidence. It’s something to be proud of.”

The Indians grabbed an early lead on Tuesday, but the teams were deadlocked by halftime.

“I told them they had to come out and play in the third quarter,” said Phillips. “We had a lot of chances for shots, but we weren’t making them. You won’t get them all, but you have to be consistent.”

The Indians held the lead the remainder of the game, outscoring Laurel by 13 in the second half. Mitchell was able to net 22 points against the Bulldogs on Tuesday, helping the Indians move to 5-3, following a couple of wins over the holiday. Senior captain Tyree Oliver put up 14 points, while shooting guard Keion Sturgis contributed 10 of his own.

Indian River participated in the Wicomico Civic Center High School Basketball Tournament in Salisbury, Md., over the break, picking up a win over James M. Bennett High School, though falling to North Caroline.

“It was nice to get out there and play somebody different,” said Mitchell. “We’re really starting to come together as a team and play together.”

Phillips used the competition as a teaching tool for himself, too.

“The tournament helped me see who I can rely on,” he said. “It was a learning experience for all of us, and it gave some of the guys some more reps out there on the court.”

The Indians followed up the tournament with a 69-39 trouncing last Friday as they hosted Stephen Decatur before traveling to Laurel on Jan. 6. With a steady stream of wins under their belt, the Indians will attempt to keep the momentum going as they head into a slew of conference matches.

“These are the games that we need to focus on,” said Mitchell. “We want to take the South.”

The Indians will take on Delmar (Thursday, Jan. 8), Milford (Tuesday, Jan. 13) and Smyrna (Friday, Jan. 16) this upcoming week. Despite dropping their season-opener to Milford, Oliver is convinced that they can bounce back.

“We’re a lot better than we were at the beginning of the season,” he said. “We’ve really calmed down, and everybody keeps their head in the game.”

Effective defense, he noted, has been a contributing factor to the Indians’ recent success.

“A good defense will generate a good offense,” added Phillips. “And as I told them before, you need consistency. As long as you come to play basketball, and you’re consistent, there isn’t a team in the state we can’t play with. Milford got us early, but we understand the game better now. We’re not turning the ball over as much.”

The Indians were set to host Delmar this Thursday, after Coastal Point press time, and will travel to Milford on Tuesday. Mitchell hopes to hit 1,000 points against Smyrna next Friday in front of the home crowd.