Taylor Smith, Sports Editor
Last Thursday, the Eagle Grove boys basketball team celebrated the 2024-25 season at their annual awards banquet. The Eagles won 4 of their last 6 games and wrapped up the season with a record of 10-13.
“We played in a lot of close games this season,” Coach Ryan Pedersen commented. “As a coach, all you really hope for is that your team has a shot to win every game, and I truly believe we were in that position most of the time.”
At the banquet, guard Jaxon Morris received both the Eagle Award and the Defensive Award. He averaged 14.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, and a team-high 2.3 SPG during his All-Conference senior campaign.
“Jaxon will always be one of the players I’m most proud of,” Coach Pedersen remarked. “The growth he’s shown over the past four years is nothing short of remarkable. He transformed from a player focused on himself into a young man I was honored to call our captain.”
New addition Abraham Lin earned the team’s Offensive Award after leading this year’s Eagle squad in scoring.
“I still remember hearing about [Abe] and thinking he’d be a great fit, but when he joined, he exceeded all expectations,” said Pedersen. “He meshed seamlessly with the guys, both on and off the court. His chemistry with the team was immediate, and he brought a great energy that helped elevate everyone around him.”
Coach Pedersen also spoke about senior Josh Miller in glowing terms.
“This year, [Josh] made a huge leap. By the end of the season, he had become one of our go-to players, increasing his scoring from 6.7 points per game to nearly 11 (and 13.8 PPG after his dunk). Josh’s impact on both offense and defense will definitely be missed next season. His presence on the court was invaluable, and his growth was a key part of our success.”
Guard Adrian Whipple improved his averages to 9.6 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.2 SPG in his sophomore year and was given the Most Improved Award.
“I’m excited about the group of players we have coming back next season,” Pedersen added. “There’s a lot of potential, but we’ll need to put in the work over the offseason to reach it. If we stay committed and keep improving, we should be in a great position to be very competitive next year.”
