Feb/26 spts. Talent, then some PI's Verduzco attracts attention
By MIKE CONSIDINE
Herald Sports Writer
#Like many 16-year-olds, Port Isabel's Gilbert Verduzco doesn't know what he
wants to do in life. He has far more options than most of his peers, however.
Verduzco (6-foot-3, 175 pounds) earned all-state honors in football and
averaged 25.5 points a game in basketball.
"He can have the world in his hands, if he wants," PI football coach Tony
Villarreal said. "Gilbert's a unique athlete, far more than anybody else I've
ever coached. He's more versatile and I think he's one of the fastest. He has
quick acceleration, but then he has another gear most people don't have."
The junior hopes he can continue either or both sports after high school.
#`He can have the world in his hands, if he wants.'
--Tony Villarreal>
about Gilbert Verduzco>
"It would be a big honor," Verduzco said. "To me, it seems like a long
shot. Not that many guys get to go to college, so I don't get my hopes up."
The list of schools recruiting Verduzco for football includes Texas, Texas
A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech, Arkansas and Nebraska. No major colleges are
recruiting him for his favorite sport, basketball.
"I'm leaning more to basketball," Verduzco said, "but people tell me I have
a better chance in football. I don't know how that works."
Vern Lewis, son of former Houston coach Guy V. Lewis, has told PI coach Robert
Holland that Verduzco can play college basketball.
|#`It was an awesome year. It was a good experience. I'd like to do it
next year, too.'
--Gilbert Verduzco>
| Holland said Verduzco would need to work on his dribbling to play guard at a
Division I school like Texas-Pan American.
"He'll play wherever I need him," Holland said. "He can bring the ball
upcourt, shoot threes and drive inside. He has a quick release and is a very
good passer."
He topped 30 points in 10 games this year and established a school record with
58 at Santa Rosa Jan. 24.
"As a point guard, I always look for Gilbert," said junior Albert Miranda,
one of Verduzco's best friends. "When I'm in trouble, that's who I go to."
Verduzco also was a go-to player for the Tarpons' Class 3A football
semifinalists. He caught 29 passes for 835 yards (28.8 average) and 12
touchdowns.
"He did so much for the team, offensively and defensively," Villarreal said.
"People don't understand how much he helped our kicking game. And next year,
if I put him in the right role, he might be the state career leader in
interceptions."
Verduzco said he wishes more people realized that he has 30 interceptions in
his two varsity seasons. Next year, he'd like to have 1,000 reception yards
and make a longer playoff run.
"It was an awesome year," Verduzco said. "It was a good experience. I'd
like to do it next year, too. If we had a couple of breaks, we could have won
state."
Villarreal has plans for the lanky wide receiver, who was a chubby tackle in
eighth grade.
"He's like a Michael Irvin," Villarreal said. "He can make big things
happen. Next year, we're looking at putting him in more of a running back mode
or sending him in motion."
In the meantime, Verduzco is trying to break 50 seconds in the 400-meter dash
on the Tarpons' track team.
A regular at South Padre Island beach volleyball courts during the summer
months last year, Verduzco said he wants to get stronger and faster before he
puts on football pads again.
"In past years, I didn't work hard, but I got better anyway," Verduzco said.
"This year, I've dedicated myself to sports."
