JASPER ALLEN DUBERRY GET TO KNOW HIM

I was able to do a question and answer piece with Jasper Allen Duberry who goes to Champlin Park High School. I met Jasper this past summer when he played summer AAU basketball. He currently plays just basketball. He has been starting ever since his sophomore year.

He said, ”I used to be in karate pretty seriously but it often conflicts with my basketball all year long. So I occasionally catch a class here and there. I played baseball and in elementary through middle school.” He currently stands 5’11” and is 172 pounds.

He will be a senior this year, class of 2010. When it comes to music he said, “ I listen to all kinds of stuff but mostly I like relaxing and light rock and acoustic, but overall pretty much everything but country.” His favorite artists are John Mayer, Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z and Eminem.

He played for the TNL Express AAU basketball team this summer. His dad was his coach this summer. I asked him to talk about what it was like playing for his dad. “It went great. I felt that him being my coach made it easier to connect. And it made me a lot more coachable because we weren’t just limited to seeing each other only at basketball but at home as well.”

He really loved his teammates. They all were a bunch of clowns. When I went and covered their games it was one of the best times that I’ve had because they were a bunch of clowns. They knew how to have a good time along with getting down to business and playing tough hard-nosed basketball.

Here is what he had to say about some of his AAU teammates this year. “My teammates this year had to be the funniest, greatest guys that I have probably played with. Kyle Zimmermann, I’ve been playing with him along my side since about 7th grade. We know exactly what the other can do and can’t do and what we can expect from them every single game. No matter who we are playing he has the ability to take over with his very crafty left-handed moves. Jauson Sewer from Richfield, it’s been three or four years now playing with him and I have never seen anyone with the drive and passion that he plays with. So many times we have seen him completely take over a game single handedly with his amazing shooting range. Devon Knopke, it’s my first year playing with him. The fun and excitement he brings on the court often keeps us going most the time. He's very versatile for his size because he is a taller guard but has the strength and ability to go in the post against smaller guards.”

He said that his family plays a big role in his life. When asked about who’s most important in his life, he
answered, “ My family the most. I would say because they are always there at my games supporting me no matter what, and also at functions outside of basketball. I know that I can turn to them for about anything.”

He also has a strong basketball foundation and has made it a goal of his to keep good friends around him. When asked about his best friends, Jasper answered, “At the school and at basketball I would probably have to say my great friend Ricky Starck. We have been friends and moved through the same schools with each other since second grade. We have also played basketball and baseball together since then. Even though he wasn't on varsity with me last year he was usually the one that I went to for advice about how I looked out there, what he saw I could do better and stuff like that.”

He is a busy man but he does have some free time. He said, “In my free time I usually just like to sleep because of my busy schedule that I usually have. If I’m not at basketball, which I’m at most the time, I’m usually trying to catch up with friends, working at my job, or working on my art projects for next year. Me and a few friends usually try and catch a midnight movie every week or so when we can as well.”

He also has one brother and one sister. His younger brother is Zachary Duberry who is 15. His older sister Eleanor Pitts is 22, who just graduated from Tennessee State University.

Like most people he is caught up on Twitter the social networking site. I asked him what he thinks of Twitter. “I love it. It’s a new cool way to stay in touch with people just by simply answering a question of ‘What are you doing?’ I am always on the site on the computer or sending text messages to update on what I’m doing.”

Finally, I asked him what else he wants the world to know about him. “There's not much to me just for the fact that I’m a pretty cool laid back kind of guy. I love trying new things and meeting new people. When I set my mind to something I don’t give up on it till I get it done, and that I am satisfied with what I have done.”

Jasper Allen Dueburry is truly a good person to get to know. He is very laid back and he is a very good basketball player. I feel very lucky to have a good friend in Jasper.