Post by catscratchfever4 on Jun 30, 2018 1:04:57 GMT -6
Could he end up being a two sport star? PLUS his high school teammate Emanuel Littles has already signed with the Lions.
Time was closing in on a decision to be made on a sport, and Lanett’s two-sport star Anquaevious Pollard has made that call
With National Signing Day for football on Feb. 7, Pollard has decided to eschew the gridiron with his intentions set on pursuing basketball in college.
At 6-foot-7, the aptly nicknamed “Long” has garnered attention of schools at varying levels in both sports at Lanett, and for good reasons as he’s helped claim three state championships. With those championships, Pollard has been an instrumental part of bring the first state title to Lanett in football as a senior and in basketball as a sophomore while also helping the program repeat on the hardwood as a junior.
“We had a sit down and he’s decided that’s what he wants to do,” Lanett head basketball coach Richard Carter said. “Because of his success on the football field, he had that decision to make. Now, he can go ahead and pursue whatever school he want to play basketball for.”
Tuskegee, Florida Atlantic, Mercer, Liberty, Troy, UT-Chattanooga, Austin Peay, Florida Gulf Coast, New Mexico State, Alcorn State and Alabama State offered Pollard over the course of his junior and senior years for either basketball or football. However, Pollard has narrowed his current top-three choices to the University of North Alabama, Chipola College and Northeast Mississippi Community College.
UNA is on the move to Division I as a part of the Atlantic Sun Conference while Chipola and Northeast Mississippi compete as a part of the NJCAA.
“With North Alabama, I like it down there because they play the same type of game that I play in,” Pollard said. “From what Northeast, what they tell me is that they have the same game as well.”
Among his accolades, he represented Alabama in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game at receiver as a senior and was an Alabama Sports Writers Association second team all-state selection. He was also an ASWA first team all-state selection as a junior and as a sophomore.
In basketball, Pollard was an ASWA first team all-selection as a junior as well as the Class 2A Boys Player of the Year when he averaged 19.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. He also picked up an ASWA first team all-state selection as a sophomore when he averaged 21.4 points and 18 rebounds.
Through his football career with the Panthers Pollard has totaled 117 catches the last three years for 2,533 yards and 47 touchdowns in his career. A deep-ball threat any given play, Pollard’s career 21.6-yard per catch average helped the undefeated Panthers average 40.9 points and win the Class 2A state championship in 2017.
Through his football career with the Panthers Pollard has totaled 117 catches the last three years for 2,533 yards and 47 touchdowns in his career. A deep-ball threat any given play, Pollard’s career 21.6-yard per catch average helped the undefeated Panthers average 40.9 points and win the Class 2A state championship in 2017.
As a senior he finished off his stellar football career with 34 receptions for 958 yards and 11 touchdowns. He totaled 47 catches for 964 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior and finished his sophomore campaign with 36 catches for 611 yards and 13 touchdowns.
With three state championship rings, Pollard is now on track to help the Panthers’ basketball team claim its third straight championship.
“It’s going to be challenging because teams are not going to take us lightly,” Pollard said. “As my coach (Carter) says, ‘We’re the state champs, everyone wants a piece of us. They’re going to come at us with their best game.’
“My coach always tells me, ‘Take it one day at a time. Never take any days off; every day, go full speed. How we practice will show in the game.’ From the last couple of games, it’s been showing up.”
Now that Pollard has focused his efforts on basketball and decided to pursue it at the next level, he can focus on the task at hand. For him, that is a rematch at home against LaFayette on Friday.
With three state championship rings, Pollard is now on track to help the Panthers’ basketball team claim its third straight championship.
“It’s going to be challenging because teams are not going to take us lightly,” Pollard said. “As my coach (Carter) says, ‘We’re the state champs, everyone wants a piece of us. They’re going to come at us with their best game.’
“My coach always tells me, ‘Take it one day at a time. Never take any days off; every day, go full speed. How we practice will show in the game.’ From the last couple of games, it’s been showing up.”
Now that Pollard has focused his efforts on basketball and decided to pursue it at the next level, he can focus on the task at hand. For him, that is a rematch at home against LaFayette on Friday.
