By Dustin Kent

Published: March 14, 2008

Marianna basketball star Brandon Gibson will participate in the Florida Athletics Coaches Association North-South All-Star game in Daytona Saturday.
The 6-foot-6-inch Gibson, who averaged 19.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Bulldogs last season, will join 11other players representing North Florida in the game.

“I feel pretty good about it,” Gibson said Thursday. “It’s very exciting to go all the way down there and to be chosen among several other folks.
“I think I’ll do pretty well. It’s just a different atmosphere and different players, so I want to show a little bit of my talents. Coming from a small town, you don’t always get much recognition.”

Gibson helped lead the Bulldogs to their first final-four trip to Lakeland in 23 years last season.

His coach, Travis Blanton, said the honor was well-earned.
“
I think it’s an honor for him to be chosen,” the coach said, noting that the vote came from other coaches in the area, as well as himself.

“Your own coach will be biased and I am biased, but for the other coaches who know the game really well to choose Brandon shows that he’s deserving.”
Gibson was scheduled to leave for Daytona this morning and would have one practice with the team before a players banquet tonight.

The Marianna senior has yet to make his college choice, though he’s scheduled to make a visit to Louisiana Tech next week.

Gibson said that he was aware that a good performance at the all-star game could raise his profile as a recruit, though he didn’t want to forget to have fun, as well as represent Jackson County.

“You approach it to have a good time and also get a lot of recognition,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand that when you go off to play over the summer and (in all-star games) you’re not just playing for yourself but for the whole county.”

Blanton said he thought Gibson would represent the county, MHS and himself well.

“I think he has a chance to do very well there,” the coach said. “It’s like an exclamation point to his career at Marianna. He has an opportunity to show what he can do and maybe give himself a chance to further his education.

“It’s very special to me because I’ve spent the last four year with him and he’s like another child for me.”