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Watching Terrence Ingram direct Hoover’s high-octane attack, the senior seems like a true point guard. But Ingram actually came to the Cardinals three years ago as a shooting guard.
“Terrence has really evolved into the position,” said Cardinals head coach Ollie Goulston. “He’s really bought into it and he’s become a good one.”
As Ingram has become one of the best point guards in the section, he has also transformed into a leader for the top-ranked Cardinals. The team’s lone captain, the 6'0" Ingram leads both inside and outside of the gym.
“We expect leadership from him. We expect even when he’s having bad days still to be the same and be consistent,” Goulston said. “As a teenager that’s sometimes hard, but he’s really done a good job this year.”
Both leading Hoover’s fast break and being at the front of their vaunted full-court press, Ingram sets the tone for the Cardinals on both ends of the court. And that is a role he relishes.
“If I come into a game not calm and jittery then the rest of the team is going to be like that,” Ingram said. “They look at me as the point guard for guidance, so I have to be poised and steady so the team can be the same.”
Ingram said transition from two-guard to point guard was challenging at first. But in his third year at the position, he makes pushing the ball from one end of the court to another seem effortless.
“When I come down the court with the ball, I’m really just looking at my defender’s eyes and seeing the rest of the court with my peripheral vision,” Ingram said. “I’m just trying to read the defense so I can make a good play.”
Watching Ingram and his single-braided hair fly down the court, it seems like he’s out of control. But then one pass or one move later, Hoover has another basket.
“I like running the break because we have great finishers on the team,” Ingram said. “Everybody can score and everybody brings a different aspect of scoring to the table.”
Although clumsiness doesn’t come to mind when watching Ingram in transition, it apparently does off the court. That’s how Goulston described him.
“As athletic as Terrence is, he’s a klutz,” Goulston said. He is always tripping over his feet and running into the walls. He’s pretty funny that way.”
Ingram did not dispute these claims, explaining that being pigeon-toed and having size 13 feet caused various falls over the years. But he did say that he is not falling as much as he has grown.
“I guess you could say I’m clumsy,” Ingram said. “I wouldn’t say that but everybody else would so I guess it’s true.”
Ingram appears to be on a straight path to playing basketball on the next level. Sacramento State, Northern Colorado, Cal State Northridge, Boise State and San Diego are among the schools looking at him.
“I think his best basketball is in front of him. He can shoot it, he’s athletic and he can defend,” Goulston said. “As he continues to get bigger and stronger and get repetitions at that position he’ll be very good at it.”
Ingram is excited about the prospect of college, both from an athletic and academic standpoint. In the classroom, Ingram plans to further his education in pursuit of a career in architecture.
“That’s what I really want to do,” Ingram said. “I have a passion for design and making things.”
As Ingram’s final season at Hoover approaches its end, he and his Cardinals teammates are hoping they have the blueprint for a state title run. With Ingram at point, Hoover has made the state playoffs each of the last two seasons, falling short of their ultimate goal.
“This year I just really want a state ring,” Ingram said. “Down here you get rings when you get a section championship but when you go anywhere above San Diego, they’re not really big on section championships, they’re big on state championships.”
Ingram has dreamed of a state championship since 2004, when his sister played for San Diego. That year, Ingram traveled with the Cavers team that lost to Oakland Tech in the state title game at Arco Arena.
“The whole experience – traveling and being on the big stage – just really amazed me,” Ingram said. “That just pushed me to want to win a state championship.”
State title or not, Ingram has the chance to lead Hoover to its third-straight section title this year. In the process, Ingram is wrapping up a career that should see him pass up 1,000 points and 500 assists, despite staying out of the spotlight for most of that time.
“He’s definitely sometimes in the shadows, but to the people that know basketball, they realize how important he is to us,” Goulston said.
And being away from the attention is just fine for Ingram.
“If I don’t get publicity, I’m cool with it,” Ingram said. “As long as I help someone else achieve a goal on my team, I’m happy for them.”
Put down another assist for the converted point guard.
Watching Terrence Ingram direct Hoover’s high-octane attack, the senior seems like a true point guard. But Ingram actually came to the Cardinals three years ago as a shooting guard.
“Terrence has really evolved into the position,” said Cardinals head coach Ollie Goulston. “He’s really bought into it and he’s become a good one.”
As Ingram has become one of the best point guards in the section, he has also transformed into a leader for the top-ranked Cardinals. The team’s lone captain, the 6'0" Ingram leads both inside and outside of the gym.
“We expect leadership from him. We expect even when he’s having bad days still to be the same and be consistent,” Goulston said. “As a teenager that’s sometimes hard, but he’s really done a good job this year.”
Both leading Hoover’s fast break and being at the front of their vaunted full-court press, Ingram sets the tone for the Cardinals on both ends of the court. And that is a role he relishes.
“If I come into a game not calm and jittery then the rest of the team is going to be like that,” Ingram said. “They look at me as the point guard for guidance, so I have to be poised and steady so the team can be the same.”
Ingram said transition from two-guard to point guard was challenging at first. But in his third year at the position, he makes pushing the ball from one end of the court to another seem effortless.
“When I come down the court with the ball, I’m really just looking at my defender’s eyes and seeing the rest of the court with my peripheral vision,” Ingram said. “I’m just trying to read the defense so I can make a good play.”
Watching Ingram and his single-braided hair fly down the court, it seems like he’s out of control. But then one pass or one move later, Hoover has another basket.
“I like running the break because we have great finishers on the team,” Ingram said. “Everybody can score and everybody brings a different aspect of scoring to the table.”
Although clumsiness doesn’t come to mind when watching Ingram in transition, it apparently does off the court. That’s how Goulston described him.
“As athletic as Terrence is, he’s a klutz,” Goulston said. He is always tripping over his feet and running into the walls. He’s pretty funny that way.”
Ingram did not dispute these claims, explaining that being pigeon-toed and having size 13 feet caused various falls over the years. But he did say that he is not falling as much as he has grown.
“I guess you could say I’m clumsy,” Ingram said. “I wouldn’t say that but everybody else would so I guess it’s true.”
Ingram appears to be on a straight path to playing basketball on the next level. Sacramento State, Northern Colorado, Cal State Northridge, Boise State and San Diego are among the schools looking at him.
“I think his best basketball is in front of him. He can shoot it, he’s athletic and he can defend,” Goulston said. “As he continues to get bigger and stronger and get repetitions at that position he’ll be very good at it.”
Ingram is excited about the prospect of college, both from an athletic and academic standpoint. In the classroom, Ingram plans to further his education in pursuit of a career in architecture.
“That’s what I really want to do,” Ingram said. “I have a passion for design and making things.”
As Ingram’s final season at Hoover approaches its end, he and his Cardinals teammates are hoping they have the blueprint for a state title run. With Ingram at point, Hoover has made the state playoffs each of the last two seasons, falling short of their ultimate goal.
“This year I just really want a state ring,” Ingram said. “Down here you get rings when you get a section championship but when you go anywhere above San Diego, they’re not really big on section championships, they’re big on state championships.”
Ingram has dreamed of a state championship since 2004, when his sister played for San Diego. That year, Ingram traveled with the Cavers team that lost to Oakland Tech in the state title game at Arco Arena.
“The whole experience – traveling and being on the big stage – just really amazed me,” Ingram said. “That just pushed me to want to win a state championship.”
State title or not, Ingram has the chance to lead Hoover to its third-straight section title this year. In the process, Ingram is wrapping up a career that should see him pass up 1,000 points and 500 assists, despite staying out of the spotlight for most of that time.
“He’s definitely sometimes in the shadows, but to the people that know basketball, they realize how important he is to us,” Goulston said.
And being away from the attention is just fine for Ingram.
“If I don’t get publicity, I’m cool with it,” Ingram said. “As long as I help someone else achieve a goal on my team, I’m happy for them.”
Put down another assist for the converted point guard.