Cards are amped to take on Region
Senior Aden Slone
After one of the greatest regular seasons ever at GRC, Coach Josh Cook’s Cardinals turn the page and focus on regional play after wiping through District for the fifth straight year.
“All year my guys have sacrificed for each other,” says Cook. “We’ve had a special year, but we all understand that our goals are unfinished. We have to continue to sacrifice.”
The Cards have had one of the single greatest seasons ever for WinCity basketball, completing the regular season 28-1. Their only loss was to the No.1 team in South Carolina, Dorman High School, by two points.
The Cards earned the No.1 ranking in the state in December and haven’t let go of it since. Their resume is strong, defeating Kentucky’s best teams such as Ballard, North Laurel, Madison Central, Ashland, Woodford, and Knox Central, by large margins.
On top of playing multiple top 25 teams in the state the Cards also lead the state in marginal points per game with an average of 31.2 points per game, which is almost 10 points higher than the second best in the state’s average. As well, the Cards are No. 1 in the state for points per game with a whopping 84.7 points per game. They’ve recorded numerous 100-point games, including a 114-52 district championship win against Paris.
Players like Tanner Walton, who anywhere else would be averaging 20-plus points per game, sacrifice for the betterment of his team. He makes plays not caring about his individual stats, which by the way he’s averaging 12.7 points per game with 6.5 rebounds per game.
If you ask anyone on the team what they care about they all would say winning.
“It’s win or go home,” says senior Tanner Walton. “We’ve bought into the team all year. We just need to keep our heads focused and win the region and then go to state and win it all. We don’t care about individual stats; we care about winning and dominating every game.”
With a team full of super stars, junior phenom Jerone Morton certainly shines bright. Averaging 18.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg, he is a lethal weapon who can shoot from anywhere on the court. He’s tough to guard and always has the defenders on their toes; his breakaway defense separates him from everyone else. Racking up a few D-1 offers from EKU and Coastal Carolina already, Morton is a special kind of player to watch.
“We’re taking it game by game,” says Morton. “We gotta stay tough and keep our mind and hearts in the right place. Hate us or love us we’re still gonna do our thing. We don’t really care what people think about us. I think that’s what makes us so dominant.”
It’s easy to see how special this team is. They all share a common goal. The thing that separates them from others when watching, is their intensity and unselfishness. They understand that not every night is gonna be their night and put faith in their team as a whole to make plays.
“We just want to dominate every game and come out with a win,” says junior Sam Parrish. “It’s going to take toughness, determination, and hard work to achieve our ultimate goal, but we’ve known this all year. We just try to stay humble through all the noise, we try to keep doing what we’re doing and that’s winning. From here on out, it’s win at all cost.”
To say that basketball doesn’t flow through Parrish’s veins would be an understatement. The kid can flat out play; his athleticism is legit. He’s currently averaging 13.2 ppg with 4.1 rpg, but his offense isn’t what makes him fun to watch, It’s his defense. The way he moves up and down the court with focus and intensity in his eyes is mesmerizing. He follows the ball closely, never letting the ball handler leave his vicinity. That’s a gift of pure talent.
But for the Cards it isn’t just three players that will beat you, it’s around nine.
Trent Edwards, a 6’7 beast is another super star averaging 13.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg. The way he shreds defenders and dominates kids in the paint is unreal. His stature is one that not many teams can match up with well.
If you thought that wasn’t enough, let’s talk about three-point specialist Reshaun Hampton. Hampton has had multiple games where he goes off for seven 3s in a game. He is a star in the making and hones his craft very well.
Other players like senior floor commander and Delta State commit Aden Slone have special gift. Slone can control the tempo and speed of the game and is fantastic at leading a team of stars. Slone is the purest point guard you can get.
“You’ll see all of our players laser focused and disciplined on both ends of the court,” says Cook. “We want to continue to play at the highest level possible. This journey has been their journey, they want to win the whole thing badly and at the end of the day I’m just trying to help them reach their goals.”
The caliber team that Cook has is unmatched. The depth of weapons is unreal. The team is amped and ready to go.
Tune in tonight as the Cards face the Black Devils from Robertson County. Tip off is at 7:45 at Holmes High School.
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