By JOE BUIE, Staff Writer, Tyler Morning Telegraph

The first-place Tyler Junior College Apaches are using a unique sledgehammer to kill opponents softly this season.

It's LaBree Sledge, the smallest player on the basketball court for the No. 9 Apaches (15-2, 6-2 in Region XIV North).

The 5-10 freshman from Victoria is proving the old adage correct that big things come in small packages.

As a scoring point guard, Sledge is a perfect complement to starter Reggie Nelson, who is more of a distributor.

Sledge, a Victoria Memorial graduate, also fits in nicely with what TJC head coach Mike Marquis calls his "second group."

Sledge had the hot hand Wednesday as he finished with 20 points and six 3-pointers in the Apaches' 82-61 loss at Lon Morris. He pulled TJC within nine with 6:48 left in the game before missing his last four shots.

Sledge, who entered the game ranked third in the conference in 3-point shooting, went 6-for-10 from downtown and is currently at 48 percent (31-for-65) for the season.

"LaBree has added a nice option we didn't have a year ago," Marquis said. "LaBree gives us a little scoring punch."

With starting wing Brad Gay out with a sprained ankle, Sledge's role expanded against Lon Morris to include playing the 2 and 3 positions.

Gay, TJC's leading scorer (13.3 ppg.), is also expected to miss today's home game (4 p.m.) with Lee College.

"Primarily for his future at the Division I level, he's got to be a scoring point (guard)," Marquis said of Sledge, whom he signed last summer. "For us he's found his niche. Since we've gotten to conference, his production has really picked up."

TJC leads the Region XIV North Zone and is also No. 1 in scoring, using a fast-break offense that former assistant Scott Monarch brought from Panola.

"I like this type of basketball," said Sledge, the District 27-5A Co-MVP last season. "I like to run. I like the tempo of the game to be fast."

While playing AAU basketball last summer in Houston, the academic qualifier wasn't even considering going to a junior college.

He visited Texas A&M-Kingsville and was also recruited by TCU, but Sledge said his best opportunity to play right away was with the Apaches.

Smoke Signals: Sledge's hometown of Victoria is near the Texas gulf coast, 80 miles northeast of Corpus Christi and 113 miles southeast of San Antonio. ... LaBree's sister, Ieasha Sledge, played for Blinn in 2003-04 and later for Incarnate Word in San Antonio. ... Lee College (12-7, 4-4) is tied for third in the South Zone. The Rebels defeated Bossier Parish in overtime Wednesday, 98-93. ... The TJC (7-14, 2-7) and Blinn (10-10, 4-4) women play at 2 p.m. at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

Link to Original Article:  http://tylerpaper.com/article/20090124/SPORTS06/901240359