Ready to soar at Lincoln

By Joe Mason
Times Sports Editor

His dunks could make the top plays on SportsCenter.
But defense is what allows Doug Tucker to unleash those highlight jams. It’s also why he’s part of a winning team.
Tucker’s team is the Abraham Lincoln High School basketball squad, and the senior captain is the starting combination guard. And as much as he likes rattling the rim with his picture-perfect slams, he knows that his game is predicated by sticking to his man.
"Sometimes I gamble on defense, but I really think I focus more on defense than I do offense," Tucker said. "I know that when I get the ball on a fast break, I can usually dunk.
"But our whole team, I think, tries harder on defense than on offense," he continued. "Offense is more fun, and everyone likes to score, but coach (Steve Gittleman) always tells us defense is the way to go. So we try to do what we can to shut the other team down and then score off their mistakes."
The Railsplitters’ defense has been rolling along during the preseason.
Lincoln has won six of its first nine games, and in the process has held its opponents to an average of 46 points per game.
The most points the team has surrendered this season came in a 68-64 loss to Pike County powerhouse Delaware Valley High.
"We’re definitely doing well defensively," Gittleman said. "Our biggest problem is scoring. If we can find ways to score, we’ll be fine.
"Doug is our leading scorer, and he’s been doing very well," the coach continued. "He’s very explosive, and he leads us out there. He carries the offense. And he’s been doing a really good job so far this year. He’s matured a lot and is playing much better this year."
Tucker was happy to put in the work, and he’s fine with being the team leader.
Last year, as a reserve, Tucker scored just two points, as the Railsplitters were led by a lineup that consisted of almost all seniors.
But while he sat on the bench and worked in practice, he learned a lot. He studied from his teammates and did his best to improve his all-around game.
"I was just trying to learn, and I did learn a lot," the North Philadelphia resident said. "Just picking up little things, mostly defense, but I learned a little bit about everything.
"I didn’t let (not starting) get me down; I figured this year I’d have my shot at playing," he said. "I just worked hard last year and did a lot over the summer to prepare for this year. This is my team, and I have to step up and make things happen if we want to win games."
Tucker has learned a lot from teammates and Gittleman, but he’s also lucky enough to have a lot of support at home.
Last week at Lincoln’s victory over Camden Academy at Pennsauken High School, 24 of Tucker’s friends and relatives made the trek over the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge to watch their star take the court. Among those in attendance were his mother, Mary Tucker, his four sisters, his brother, Rakeith Phillips and his nephew, Rakeith, Jr.
While his mother offers the most support, verbally, his brother might be his most-supportive fan.
"My mom yells a lot, but she doesn’t know a lot about basketball," Tucker said. "She tries (to learn the game). I’m lucky to have such a supportive family.
"But my brother, he’s really good about coming to watch me," Tucker continued. "He was a star football player (at Roxborough). He was really good. I just went in a different direction than he did."
And there are a few reasons for Tucker’s choice of the hardwood over the gridiron.
For one, his leaping ability is much more conducive to basketball.
"And I always forget that football starts in August before school starts," he said with a smile. "I’m usually working on my game in the summer, playing in summer leagues, so I’m not thinking about football. I would have liked to give it a try, probably, but I’m happy where I’m at."
Now he’s just trying to get noticed by a college — any college.
This is Tucker’s finest year on the court, but he’s also improved a lot in the classroom.
He’s hoping that a college scout finds him this year and gives him a shot at playing at the next level.
"These wins are really important to the team and to me," Tucker said. "If we start doing better and winning more games, more scouts will come and see us.
"We have a lot of good players, and I’m hoping we get a few looks," he continued. "I would love to play next year — Division One, Division Two — it doesn’t matter. I just want a chance to keep playing and keep going to school."
His future is all planned out after that.
He loves basketball and he loves being a leader, so his perfect profession would be a gym teacher and a basketball coach.
"That’s what I’m hoping to do," Tucker said. "I just love being around basketball. I’ve been around it my whole life. I think I would like the chance to teach, and I’d love to coach.
"I wouldn’t mind coming back (to Lincoln) to do it, either," he said. "I don’t want to take coach Gittleman’s job. Maybe I could work with him.
But would Tucker allow his players to go out and do those monster dunks that he loves to do so much?
"If they played defense and they could jump like me, I wouldn’t mind," he said with a smile. ••
Sports editor Joe Mason can be reached at 215-354-3035 or jmason@phillynews.com