John Tatum wasn't going to let a disappointing senior season carry over to prep school, even after his post-grad year got off to a less-than-ideal start.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound shooting guard from Howard High had hoped for a Division I scholarship coming out of high school, but a "frustrating" senior season led to just junior college and Division II interest. A full academic qualifier, Tatum graduated high school and left Maryland for Southwest Academy in Lansing, Mich. Unfortunately for Tatum, a strong start quickly turned sour.
"When John first came into our program, he was playing the best basketball of anyone on the team," said Southwest Academy coach Don Petties. "Then John sprained his ankle pretty bad in the first game of the season. It was a high-ankle sprain, the worst sprain you can have. It was pretty much the first minute of the game."
Petties, a former Western Michigan player and Harlem Globetrotters assistant coach, was counting on Tatum to be a team leader and go-to scorer. Tatum was counting on Petties to put him on the radar of Division I programs. After several weeks of rehab, player and coach were finally able to accomplish what they set out to do."He didn't really regain that original form until the latter part of the season. It took him a while to rest and get his confidence back," Petties said. "But once he got that back again, he started to pick up where he left off. He really started playing great basketball for us in February or March. When we went down to Florida in February, he had regained his confidence in shooting the basketball."
That confidence propelled Southwest Academy to a 23-7 record, and earned Tatum that long-coveted Division I offer. Now he's just weeks away from beginning his college career at Southern University, a Southwestern Athletic Conference school in Baton Rouge, La.
"[The Southern coaches] were very excited," said Tatum, who committed last month. "They said, 'You made a good choice. I think the university will get you to the next level.' So I committed there. It really had a great atmosphere. I had a really good connection with it and my parents [liked the school], so it felt good."
Tatum, who started his high school career at Cardinal Gibbons before transferring to Howard as a junior, averaged 18 points for Southwest Academy. The Jaguars' staff discovered him at a tournament in Jackson, Miss. Tatum kept in touch with the coaches, who told him he could challenge for playing time at shooting guard right away.
"He said the spot is mine if I'm up to the task," Tatum said. "I've basically got to work hard, stay in the books, stay in the gym and I'll get the spot if I come in with the right attitude and be positive."
Said Petties: "You can never guarantee [playing time] because it's predicated on how John plays in practice in the preseason. But they're looking for someone who can score the basketball from the 2-spot. Right now, John is someone they're really hoping can help the program. The fact that he's a freshman weighs in his favor … [and] I know they're in dire need of someone who can shoot the basketball. That's the one thing he brings to the table. John shoots the ball very well."
Southern finished with a 4-19 record – including a 2-9 mark in SWAC play – last season. Tatum said he looks forward to being part of the Jaguars' turnaround, and he's appreciative for finally receiving a DI opportunity.
"It's been a long time coming," Tatum said. "I'm really excited and I'm really happy. I just can't wait to get down there and show what I've got. It's overwhelming for my family."
Handout photo courtesy of John Tatum.