Trojans use tourney to adjust to absence of standout

Most basketball coaches will tell you they use holiday tournaments to keep players in shape and knock off the rust from the UIL-mandated five-day break during which they cannot have organized practices.

And like most, that’s typically what Mark Villines and his Trinity boys team does. But this season is different. An unexpected absence left the Trojans using the tournament to adjust to an indefinite loss of guard Jhivvan Jackson.

“That changes our whole dynamic,” Villines said. “Hopefully we’ll get him back and can move forward. If we don’t, if we miss him for a little while, that changes how we have to play.”

Jackson is away in Puerto Rico following a family emergency. While coaches’ and players’ thoughts were with him, the team’s schedule moves on, with the district opener set for last Saturday, Jan. 2, after the press deadline against Colleyville Heritage.

“We used this tournament as basically a glorified practice to get other guys up to par,” Villines said. “Roles are going to change now if he’s not with us.”

Trinity went 0-3 in the Byron Nelson Classic, losing games to Dallas Parish Episcopal, host Trophy Club Byron Nelson and Saginaw Chisholm Trail.

“We played hard, but I felt like the kids really struggled,” Villines said. “When you have a guy like Jhivvan that averages 22 points a game and you know you can count on him to get a shot off, [the other players] get a little complacent. We’ve really struggled to get guys up to par.

“We’re uncomfortable trying to score,” he continued. “Not one guy is going to make up for what Jhivvan does. We need two or three guys. We’ve had a hard time executing. That just takes reps. I hope.”

So not only was the tournament about getting back into game shape, it was about adjusting tactics and looking for players who might step up.

“As a coaching staff we’re tinkering with rotations, we’re giving guys minutes that might not get minutes in district,” Villines said. “We’re just trying to see if there’s a bright spot or if anyone surprises us or certain combinations play well together.”

Though the tournament results won’t help the look of the overall record, coaches hope the experience will pay dividends later in the season.

“Our hope is that when we get Jhivvan back, these other guys will have benefited from playing some games without him and that should make us better,” Villines said. “We’ve played some games without him and won some games, so we’re capable. It’s just a matter of them believing in themselves.”

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Trojans use tourney to adjust to absence of standout."