Blackman boys basketball benefitting from Josh Alexander's post presence

Senior Josh Alexander has had a big presence for the Blackman boys basketball team of late.

Big, as in 6-foot-6, 220-pounds big.

Eased into playing time early in the season, Alexander has thrived since becoming a starter and seeing his minutes increase.

He's averaging 7.4 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds on the season, including 10 points and eight boards per game over the past month.

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"I just played everything in practice like it's a game," said Alexander.

He played sparingly at Clarksville Northeast last season before his family moved to Murfreesboro during the offseason to be closer to family.

"I treat everything like it's my last. I bring full effort every time. Show them that I can really better the team whenever I'm in the game."

Alexander's emergence has allowed coach Barry Wortman's Blaze (19-4) to play both big or small with confidence, depending on game script. The team's leading scorer is 6-7 forward Dontae Stringer.

"When you play with two traditional bigs like us, it's a contrast of styles," said Wortman, whose squad faces Siegel in the Region 4-AAA championship game Friday at home.

"High school basketball has (typically) been position-less players, and we've been position-less so much in our career. There's some things we try to do (with the lineup) what we'd consider an advantage, but there's a lot of things other teams can do to exploit you when you try to play like that. So we've tried to play to our strengths. And it's tough, because there are pros and cons in trying to score and guard with two bigs."

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Alexander had three consecutive postseason double-doubles before a 13-point, nine-rebound performance in a 46-39 region semifinal win over Coffee County on Tuesday.

He also has nine assists during those four games, most of those going to Stringer, who he has developed a 1-2 punch within the paint.

"When you have two bigs, it's crazy," Alexander said. "I know every time I get the ball, (Stringer) is going to be open. If I shoot it, he will get the rebound, and vise-versa. Defensively, if I slip up or get beat, he's behind me. He's my right-hand partner."

Alexander's strong play has helped Blackman, which lost all five starters from last year's Class AAA state tournament squad, win 10 in a row and 15 of 16, including winning the 7-AAA tourney title over No. 1 seed Siegel in a game which Alexander had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

"He's so tough and such a sponge to be coached," Wortman said. "When guys are sponges they tend to grow and develop at a high rate. He's tough and he makes our team better."

The winner of Friday's region finals will play host to a Class AAA sectional contest Monday. The loser will go on the road.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.