Whitwell High School basketball player Jackson Tucker leads the Tigers this season with an average of 16.2 points per game. The senior forward has Type 1 diabetes, but he has been able to manage his blood sugar and still play the game he loves.
Whitwell High School standout Jackson Tucker will head to the baseball diamond after finishing his senior season on the basketball court.A love as strong as Jackson Tucker's for the game of basketball is impossible to take away.
While a car wreck last month sidelined Tucker for two games due to elevated blood sugar from his Type 1 diabetes, the Whitwell High School senior is fully charged for postseason action.
"I want to be a basketball coach one day," Tucker said. "I have been around the sport my entire life. My brother (Cole) was the all-time leading scorer here with 1,864 points and has been a great role model to look up to."
Because he is involved in a high-intensity sport, eating the right food and giving himself the right amount of insulin before playing are crucial for Tucker, who has led the Tigers in scoring this season with an average of 16.2 points per game.
With a steady hand from the free-throw line and a crafty spin move close to the hoop, opposing defenders learn quickly that Whitwell's offense is centered often on the 6-foot-3 forward.
"In crunch time, he is the guy we want to go through," Whitwell coach Ben Barker said of Tucker, whose career high is 31 points. "He is a minutes eater and has a knack to make big plays. He is a coach's dream because he can do a combination of things well."
One of Tucker's fondest memories on the basketball court was scoring all of the Tigers' overtime points in a win over Huntland last year, but he has a strong drive to push the team. And after his wreck, his teammates made sure he knew they were there for him, staying late one night at the hospital.
He hardly could wait to get back on the court.
"Whether we are in the weightroom, film room or on the court, it's obvious Jackson really enjoys the game," Barker said. "He has never once used diabetes as an excuse. His presence lifts all of us up. I know it means a lot for him to play with his friends."
Tucker said love and guidance from his family, especially his mother, has made life with diabetes easier than it might have been.
"I know how to make the right adjustments and what my body needs," Tucker said. "It was tough at first, but with the help from my mom we have found ways for me to go out there and still compete at a high level."
His game-changing ability has made for a memorable final hurrah.
After going through three consecutive winless seasons in district play, Whitwell leaned on a senior-led lineup this season to finish second in District 5-A with a 4-2 league record. A 32-game losing skid to district foes ended with a 71-51 victory over intracounty rival South Pittsburg on Dec. 14.
"I know the end of my high school basketball career is near," Tucker said. "I want to go out with a bang. We hope to play for the district championship. Being out here with my friends and playing for Coach Barker has meant the world to me."
Soon after his prep basketball career concludes, Tucker will move to the baseball diamond, where he posted a 3.50 ERA and a .305 batting average as a junior.
From closing out games at the charity stripe or on the pitching rubber, the impact of Whitwell's versatile threat is one not to be forgotten.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.