Tony Banks has never been one to back down from a challenge, and he’s not about to as he oversees the J.Z. George baseball team.
Banks, a veteran coach with over 18 years of coaching experience with stops at Marvell (Ark.) Academy, Marshall Academy and Clarksdale Lee, is no stranger to the area. He played in Greenwood as a youngster, and then played semi-pro ball during the summer as a 17-year old with the Sluggers.
“Those guys on the Sluggers took me under their wings and taught me so much about the game of baseball,” said Banks, who played at Mississippi Delta Community College and had a brief stint with Delta State.
“We played about 60 games a summer when I was young and playing with the Sluggers. I got to play ball, and it instilled confidence in me that I could play this game.”
Banks takes over a Jaguar baseball team that went 7-11 overall and 4-6 in Region 2-2A under former coach Michael “Slick” Hargett. They were eliminated by East Union in the first round of the North 2A playoffs.
Last season’s top pitcher, Brandon McKenzie, transferred to Carroll Academy before the school year started. He went 6-4 on the mound for the Jags and was selected to the 2022 All-Commonwealth baseball team.
Banks has a lot of new faces on this year’s squad.
“We don’t have the pitching right now and experience on the mound to worry about situations and hitting the corners,” he said. “We just want the guys who pitch to get the ball across the plate and throw strikes.
“We have practiced for over two months on any field that is dry, and some days, not dry. We’ve been in the parking lot and the gym. There has been so much to go over with with this group. A lot of them have very little baseball experience, but they have all worked hard and are showing a willingness to get better. The best thing for us will be to play actual games. That game experience will help us the most.”
The Jaguars are slated to open their season Saturday with a doubleheader at Charleston High School. They play their first home game Tuesday against McAdams at 4 p.m.
“We had about 60 boys come out for baseball, but we had to trim it down to 25 kids. When the work started, you quickly find out who wants to be out there,” Banks added. “Things that we are showing them are beginning to sink in. I tell them our goal is getting better every day. It’s not about wins and losses for us. Learning this game and playing it the right way are just as important.”
Banks said that leadership for this year’s team will come from Colton Acy, Jeremy Rias, Marvin Robison, Michael Thomas, Dillon Nobles and Keiyhaun Wilks. Nobles will get plenty of time on the mound, and Thomas will anchor the infield at shortstop.
He added that Zach Lowe, Kaleb Mulvhill, Lavarious Holmes and Jamandrae Crowder will also get playing time.
-Contact Calvin Stevens at 662-581-7234 or cstevens@gwcommonwealth.com.
