By Ronnie Gallagher
Salisbury Post
When Terrell Allison was a freshman he had the following words for coach Jason Causby.
“Put me in, Coach. I’m ready to play.”
Causby didn’t put him in, although he noticed Allison always trying to slip into varsity pickup games.
Causby didn’t put him in as a sophomore, either. He kept Allison on the jayvees, which worked out, considering he was the team MVP.
Allison was on the varsity as a junior but he played sparingly, averaging only two points.
Finally, this year, Causby did put Allison in ó and pretty much left him in. It’s a good thing. Allison finally proved his point to his coach how good he could be. He averaged 11.9 points and was named to the all-county team for the first time.
He knew it would happen. It was only a matter of when.
“Me and Terrell have a great relationship,” Causby smiled. “He says, ‘Coach, I told you I’d be ready.”
“It started in my freshman year,” Allison explained. “I just wanted to be a part of the Salisbury tradition. I wanted to prove to everybody I could play.”
He not only could play, but he carried the Hornets early. Salisbury started 3-6.
“We were trying to figure out who we were,” Causby said. “He kept us afloat.”
Seven of those first nine games saw Allison in double figures. He got even better in the next two outings, both wins. He scored 15 against Carson and 22 against power East Rowan in the Moir Christmas Classic. The Hornets won the championship.
“He had a monster Christmas tournament,” Causby said. “He was the main reason we beat East. He hit some huge free throws down the stretch.”
When Allison got the flu later in the year, his value showed once again. Without him, Salisbury went 3-4.
He reminds his coach of his worth, too.
“I like to mess with Causby,” Allison laughed. “But without him, none of this would be possible.”
Allison couldn’t hide his wide smile at the photo shoot.
“It just shows a whole lot of hard work pays off,” he said.
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Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com.