Season reflection: This was a very strange year. Due to COVID we were not able to do any in person player development in the summer. Our team was not able to attend team camps. There is a lot of improvement that is done in those times. Our players played basketball on their own time throughout the pandemic. At the beginning of the year, we were not sure we would even have a season, but thanks to good decisions from our administration and Wright County Public Health, we were able to play all but one game this season! That is a huge success in its own right.
This season, our Varsity Team finished with an 11-11 record. I cannot illustrate enough how important it is to win close games. That is the difference between 11-11 and 17-5. In the first half of the season, we lost many games by less than 2 possessions. We dropped a few in the second half of the season as well. In the conference we play in, how we perform in the end of quarters and end of games often determines how we finish. That is an area of improvement that needs to be better in the future. I am sure these guys will get that figured out and will do great next season!
Here is a breakdown of the guys that contributed to our team this year. Mateo Martinez – Sr. – Mateo had a great season. As a senior he really took his game to another level. He was difficult for teams to guard, and defensively he was good and finding ways to get steals. He led the conference in steals this season. Mateo is going to play college ball somewhere next year, but more importantly, he is going into criminal justice. He wants to serve a community and will impact many people’s lives in a positive manner. Mateo earned a 2nd Team All NCC selection this season.
Gavin Wilson – Sr – Gavin stuck with things when they were not going the way that he really wanted them to. He earned a trusted role as an inside player and rebounder. From his Sophomore year to his Sr. year, Gavin has matured a ton! I am pleased to have been able to coach him. One of my favorite memories as a coach is Gavin hitting the last shot of his career against AP. Gavin is going to school to become an elementary teacher. He is going to be wonderful at that. He is going to make a real difference in the lives of children!
Connor State – Jr. Connor is one of the best big men I have ever coached. He has developed into an all around player. He can score from the inside and the outside. He is a great rebounder and a natural scorer. He has a great touch around the rim. He also has a great knack for causing opposing players to change their shots. Connor led the conference in blocked shots this season. He ranked 14th all time in the NCC with blocked shots per game. Connor earned a 1st Team All NCC selection this season.
Jaxon Carpenter – Jr. Jaxon is a special kind of player. He has a knack for finding the rim and getting to the line. He improved a lot this season and when he was playing his best, we played great basketball. Jax was often tasked with defending some of the better players in the conference and did a good job of slowing them down. Jaxon has a great future ahead of him. He will be a leader on next year’s team.
Aidan Harrington – Jr. Aidan is a really good player. He is one of the best rebounders in the conference. He is a good defender and does a great job of reading opposing teams’ offenses and getting into passing lanes. Aidan is a leader in this group. Often times, how Aidan plays and the attitude he brings is contagious to the other guys on the team. With more confidence in his offensive ability, Aiden will contribute great things in his Sr. season.
Coady Olson- Jr. – Coady is a very talented offensive player. There were times this season that he was able to take over games with either effective 3 point shooting, or more often, attacking the rim and finding a way to score. When he is shooting well, I would put him up against the best shooters in the conference.
Jacob Moore – Jr. – Jacob is a great shooter. He was injured in the first half of the season, but as the second part of the year came along, he turned into a great threat for us at the Varsity level. He did a great job coming off the bench and giving us a lift when we needed it! He will have a good season next year.
Cael Chase -Jr. – Cael found his form for a while this season before being sidelined with a season ending injury. He did a good job of hitting jump shots and playing solid defense. He has a good knack on the boards and will contribute a lot next season.
Landon Olson – Jr. – Landon contributed a great deal this season. He did a great job on the JV squad, and was able to carry that success onto the varsity court. He was able to give us a lift numerous times and helped to give a good rest to some of the starting varsity players.
Tyson Berning – Jr – Tyson is a really good shooter. With a good off-season and some more confidence, he has the potential to really stretch the defense for next years team.
Thane Jackson – Jr – Thane played limited varsity minutes this season, but was one of the most improved players in the program. He does the little things very well, and is very coachable. He is the kind of kid that I like to coach, because you can see him make changes when you ask him to do something.
Nick Carpenter – Jr – Nick played limited minutes this season at the varsity level, but he is one of the most improved players on the team. He has really worked on his offensive abilities, and when you throw in the effort that he puts forth, he really has a good future.
Nevan Foss – So. – Nevan had a great JV season. He contributed to the Varsity squad by giving us a lift when we needed it and coming up with some huge rebounds at key times. He will contribute a lot to Cowboy Basketball in years to come.
Preston Gardner – So. – Preston played limited minutes this season. Look out for this guy in the next few years. He has a good knack for scoring in transition and when he attacks the rim, good things are going to happen.
Porter Chase – So. – Porter has great potential. He does get after loose balls, he hits big shots, and has the potential to contribute on the Varsity level in the future. He was a great practice player for us this season.
Owen Tew – So. – Owen was sidelined a good part of the season with an injury, but his improvement continued when he was on the floor. From last season to this season, Owen has improved a lot and with his size, I can see him developing into a fine basketball player in a few seasons.
Freshmen – Our freshmen group has really impressed me. Their development and love of the game over the last few seasons has been incredible. There are numerous players on that team that will do nice things for CGD hoops in the future. If they continue to work, they have the potential to be a really good team.
I have resigned the position of Head Boys Basketball. I have really enjoyed working with the young men in our program over the years. I will coach the 8th grade boys next year. I have been in that position before, and I feel it is a good move for me and my family. The potential for greatness in the future for CGD basketball is really high. Go Cowboys!
