CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Through two seasons, Austin Peay basketball’s Terry Taylor has put the Ohio Valley Conference on notice with his superb play on the floor.
On Friday, Oct. 18, Taylor’s efforts were yet again rewarded, as he was named the OVC Preseason Player of the Year by the media.
The 21-year-old Taylor became the first Governor since Drake Reed in the 2007-08 season to earn the same honor.
“I’m honestly blessed,” Taylor said of receiving the accolade. “It just shows that I put in the work. My teammates and coaches gave me the opportunity to showcase what I can do. I wouldn’t really be here without them and God certainly for blessing me. It’s really not on me, but more on those three. It’s just a blessing to be named that, especially by the OVC.”
A lot of new faces surround Taylor on the court this season. The junior discussed how the team’s chemistry has grown since arriving to campus.
“It’s coming along well,” Taylor said. “11 of us were here during the summer and we just all built a bond. We hung out off the court, spent time together and got to know each other. When the other three to four guys came back, they just fit in with us. We’ll play 2K or just sit in the locker room and conversate with each other. I think it’s going to be a really good year for us.”
The OVC Preseason Media Poll pegged Austin Peay to finish third in the league while one voter chose the Governors to win the conference. Taylor shared why that single media member could be correct in picking his school to capture the OVC crown in 2019-20.
“He or she was right because we’re honestly the hardest playing team in the conference,” Taylor explained. “We’re always ready to play no matter who it is. We’re going to fight until that last buzzer. On top of the that, we just have a great team. I feel like we should be the number one team, but that lone person sees what we see in ourselves, and that’s winning the OVC title.”
The former OVC Freshman of the Year is one of only three returning players in the nation who have recorded a career 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, shot better than 50 percent from the floor and 35 percent from three-point land.
Terry isn’t exactly driven by posting individual statistics, but instead is fueled by doing whatever is necessary in order to help will his team to victory.
“I’m not one to really put numbers on myself or anything,” Taylor said. “I just expect myself to go out there and do whatever my team needs me to do. It may not be the same 20, 8 and 50 Terry that fans may be accustomed to seeing. It could be something different.”
Taylor has virtually been a double-double machine for the entirety of his collegiate career. At 6-foot-5, Taylor talked about how he’s able to have repeat success as a rebounder inside of the paint.
“I think it just comes down to wanting it more than the other people and just the effort to not be afraid of grabbing the big rebound,” Taylor said. “People just look at my size and think, ‘oh he’s unable to go and get it’. I take it as disrespect sometimes because I feel like I can rebound with the best of them and hold my own. I just make it a habit for people to respect my rebounding ability before anything else.”
A four-time region champion while in high school, Taylor, helped lead Bowling Green to its first-ever state title. However, offers didn’t necessarily pour in for Taylor as a Purple.
“I had Texas Southern and SEMO,” Taylor said of his only other potential suitors. “I chose Austin Peay of course because Coach Figger and his staff really prioritized me. When I came on my visit, I really liked it and it felt like home away from home. Before the day I committed, I was up all night. I kept going back and forth and my gut just kept telling me, ‘this is where you need to be’.”
Taylor has already begun to cement his legacy as one of the more special players to ever set foot on a basketball floor at Austin Peay. Heading into his junior campaign, Taylor feels as if his time as a Gov has been on fast forward.
“It really feels like it’s almost up,” Taylor said laughingly. “It doesn’t even feel like I’m a junior in college right now. When that first game tips off, the season just flies. You’re so caught up in the practices, the scouts and enjoying the bus rides with your teammates, that you don’t even realize that your eligibility is slowing coming to an end. It doesn’t even really seem real.”
Austin Peay men’s basketball opens up the year at home in an exhibition contest against Union at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. Taylor discussed what he believes could ultimately make or break the 2019-20 season for the Governors.
“I just expect us to come out and play hard every game like we have the past two years,” Taylor said. “I think the difference is with this year, is that we’re more versatile offensively and defensively. Certain screens and certain defenses that teams try and throw at us, I think we’ll be able to overcome because of our versatility. I think if we play the blame game and don’t play as a team, it could break us. That always happens when things start to go south. I think we just have to stay together, realize what our goal is and that’s to win the OVC.”