Triple threat: FPC's Gerod Tolbert adds basketball to his repertoire

In his first year on the track and field team last season, Flagler Palm Coast's Gerod Tolbert finished fourth in the triple jump at the Class 4A state championships.

Now, in his first season of varsity basketball, Tolbert is making an impact in that sport too. Primarily a football player, the senior stepped right off the football field onto the basketball court and into the starting lineup.

"He is an athletic kid. He runs, jumps and plays hard. Toughness is something you can't necessarily teach."

— DERRICK WILLIAMS on Gerod Tolbert

"He is an athletic kid," said FPC basketball coach Derrick Williams. "He runs, jumps and plays hard. Toughness is something you can't necessarily teach."

Tolbert scored a team-high nine points in the Bulldogs' home opener Monday, Nov. 28 — a 55-39 loss to Spruce Creek. He would have scored more had he made a few more free throws. He repeatedly split the Hawks' zone to get to the basket and draw the foul but went just 1 of 12 from the free throw line as his inexperience showed.

"Every free throw he missed did not bother me one bit whatsoever, because I understand he is coming out of football," Williams said. "He hasn't even played basketball, and he's giving us everything he has."

Tolbert last played basketball on the JV team as a freshman.

"This is my senior year. I wanted to play all three sports," Tolbert said, adding sheepishly, "I have to work on my free throws."

Williams said he recruited Tolbert last summer.

"I was trying to get one of the best athletes in the school. Last year we couldn't play as fast as we can now with Gerod," Williams said.

Matt Rodriguez also scored nine points for the Bulldogs (1-2). The junior guard connected on three 3-pointers. Jameer Clark scored eight points, hitting two 3-pointers. 

Spruce Creek, playing its first game of the season, trailed 12-11 after the first quarter. But the Hawks ramped up the pressure to take a 24-19 lead into halftime and then held the Bulldogs to just two points in the third quarter to take a 15-point lead into the final eight minutes.

"I think my young guys didn't handle the pressure," Williams said.

FPC opened the season by splitting two games in Valdosta, Georgia, Nov. 21-22. The Bulldogs were scheduled to play three more games in their first week back from Thanksgiving break. They traveled to University on Nov. 29 and are scheduled to host first-year school St. Johns Beachside on Thursday, Dec. 1, before wrapping up the week in Daytona Beach for a game against DME Academy Blue.