This week’s Jennie Stuart Orthopedic – Michael Venable State Farm Player of the Week is Derrell Bateman.
Bateman is a senior at Christian Co. High School and a member of the Colonel Boys’ Basketball team.
With about one-third of the regular season completed, Derrell Bateman has been on an absolute tear averaging 28.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
As far as his love for basketball, Bateman explained how it came at a very young age.
A “gym-rat” is the phrase Coach Toby Miles used when asked to describe Bateman and that word proved to be true after hearing how this past year has gone for Derrell on the court.
Most recently Derrell gifted himself an early Christmas present on December 22, scoring 51 points in a win against New Faith Christian Academy (GA) at Marshall Co. High School.
Bateman has been known as a deadly three-level scorer all season, but he explained that the trey ball, and the knack for scoring in general came to him just a few years ago.
For Coach Miles, he has had the chance to see Derrell’s growth firsthand and names him as one of the hardest working players he’s ever coached in his 20-plus year coaching career.
As far as this season for Derrell, not only is Miles unsurprised and proud, but also see’s his senior campaign as a beacon of light for Christian Co. High School and the rest of his teammates.
When it comes to Bateman’s game, not many holes can be found but Coach Miles thinks there are some things he can get better at in preparation for collegiate play.
When asked what his favorite thing about the sport of basketball was, Bateman had this to say.
For Bateman it is clear that he is destined for the next-level but remains uncommitted too any college, but as of right now he’ll continue to try and continue his dominant season thus far.