The South Hardin boys basketball team won seven of their final 10 games to conclude their season at 12-12.
Four seniors left it all out on the floor including Jaxson Drury and Traven Wheeler, Izaak Hollingsworth and Tucker DeMott. Head Coach John Phillips on what the seniors provided the team during their minutes.
“Jaxson Drury, was a force down low, him and Traven usually guarded their best post player. He definitely had an impact on the season,” says Phillips. “Izaak, also did a great job. His overall leadership, whether it’s in practice, where he’d get everybody going and organized or in games where he would say positive things to the underclassmen or even the other seniors. We also had Tucker, he did a great job in practice. When he got his opportunity in games he kept a positive attitude. A lot of good senior leadership and I’m proud of them.”
Drury, Wheeler, Jake Balvanz and Sam Benson were recognized as NICL-West all-conference honorees. Wheeler was the leading scorer and rebounder this season with 12 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
The Tigers are projected to have seven juniors return as seniors next season. Five of those juniors saw consistent playing time including Balvanz, Benson, Preston Dolash, Owen Larson and Clayton Cable. Balvanz and Benson return as the team’s top scorers with 10 points per game this season.
Phillips on remaining committed during offseason work.
“The weight room is always a big piece, being consistent in that. We gotta get shots up, you gotta be in the gym, you gotta be shooting, all the fundamental stuff. I’m big on fundamentals. Then the desire to love and trust the process is huge. There’s a lot of different things pulling you in different ways in the offseason, especially in the summertime. Just having that overall commitment, staying in the gym, staying in the weight room, not missing, taking it seriously. I feel like, all the boys are on board with that.”
They reached the district semifinal round, where they fell to Manson-NW Webster.
