By Myra Bean

North Panola senior center Donte Howard is getting his feet wet in the position. His passion is basketball and it shows as head coach Dannis Jackson has tapped him to be the “primary post player.”

Though the basketball team is struggling early in the season, Howard said he wants to help the team in any way he can. The only senior starting on the basketball team, he does not feel that as a burden.

“It is not really a burden when you are surrounded by the caliber of the people on the team who help ease the load like the point guard, Ketwun House and my brother (Devonte). We are like a whole big family,” Howard said.

He and his brother Devonte are not twins as a year separates them, though both do sport mustache and small beard.

Donte, known as D.D. to most people, said he has had the facial hair since he was in sixth grade, when asked if he was just trying to make himself look older.

As the post player, Jackson wants the guards to look to Howard and give him more “touches in the paint.”

“He has a good head on his shoulder and I think he can handle it. I want my young guards to learn to use him,” Jackson added. “Hopefully, he will become more of an offensive threat for us, as district season approaches.”

Howard has been playing basketball since he was little.

“I play every chance I get,” he added. “I like the hype and the emotion of the game.”

He sports a 3.98 grade point average and will be taking the ACT tomorrow. He does not play any other sport and said “I am a one-sport man.”

After high school, he wants to major in biochemistry. He has not decided on a college yet but would like to play collegiate basketball.

“Academics come first,” Howard said. “I could break my leg or anything but I will still have knowledge.”
He is the son of Tyronda Benson and Michael Benson, of Como and has a sister in addition to his brother.