Focusing on team, Southfield High boys basketball contending for title

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

According to Southfield High boys basketball coach Gary Teasley, Having their last names printed on the back of their warm-up jerseys wasn’t the right message

For him, this season is about the team, which is why the Blue Jays no longer warm up wearing shirts distinguishing one player from another.

“Everything we wear is about the Blue Jays,” Teasley said with a laugh. “We’ve always had good individual talent, now we’re developing as a team.”

Southfield is developing into a championship team, as well. The Blue Jays beat perennial division power Clarkston High 63-58 Feb. 19 at home.

“It was really fascinating the way the game turned out. We’ve never beat them since I’ve been coaching here, and I’ve been here since 1997,” Teasley said. “It was a real good win for the program.”

The victory puts the Blue Jays 12-4 overall, 7-3 in the Oakland Activities Association Red Division, tying them for first with rival Southfield-Lathrup, though Southfield has beat Lathrup twice this year.

Heating up
The month of February has been kind to the Blue Jays. Southfield lost three of the last four games it played in January, but has since won all five of its contests this month.

“I heard on the radio that they call February ‘dead battery month,’” Teasley said. “We seem to be pretty charged up, because we’re committed to the journey.”

To the coach, being committed to the “journey” means doing the little things — unselfish acts that prove to be the makeup of a championship team.

The coach said the squad’s motto is “All for one, one for all,” and it’s expressed in everything it does.

“We live in an individual society, and this gives them the opportunity to be a part of something,” he said. “They’re finding out they don’t have to be a star, and it’s just a focus on the team.”

The Blue Jays are in control of their own destiny. A sweep in its final three games would give them the division championship.

“Everyone knows there are some traditional programs in the state that have done a magnificent job producing winning teams, and we want to consider ourselves a team that gets right in there and scraps with everyone else,” Teasley said.

Catch the Blue Jays when they take on Oak Park High at 4 p.m. Feb. 25 at home.

You can reach Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1062.