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Heath Gives Tampa Prep Experience, Depth

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 4, 2009

TAMPA - Tampa Prep junior guard Jordan Heath has seen his share of basketball. The son of USF men's basketball coach Stan Heath, he grew up watching the sport.

"I've always watched it, but didn't always play," Heath said. "I've grown accustomed to it."

Heath, a 5-foot-9 point guard, has averaged 3.4 points, 2.7 assists and owns a team-best 87.5 free throw percentage for the Terrapins, who on Thursday at 10 a.m. at The Lakeland Center face West Palm Beach Summit Christian in the Class 2A state semifinals.

When his father accepted the coaching job at USF, Heath transferred from his high school in Arkansas to Wharton High. As a reserve on the Wildcats boys basketball team, he scored 13 total points. Last summer, Heath enrolled at Tampa Prep, giving them another point guard.

"I just wanted to be a part of a good team," Heath said.

In the Class 2A region final against Naples Community School, Heath helped seal a 58-42 win at the free-throw line.

"What Jordan really brings is the kid who wants to shoot free throws at the end of a game," Tampa Prep coach Joe Fenlon said. "He doesn't shy away from that. He wants to be that guy. He also isn't worried about scoring a lot of points. Jordan understands, being around basketball for so long, that it takes a lot of different people playing roles in order to be successful."

Heath said his father will be in the stands on Thursday.

"He always tells me to focus on the game, not the fans or anything else" he said.

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