UHA's Gavin Grubbs will lead a young crew of Blazers in 2021-2022
After picking up their second regional championship in four years, the University Heights Academy Blazers have gone into reload mode. And, the reloading starts at the top for the Blazers.
In an unexpected move during the off-season, Grant Shouse stepped down as athletic director and head basketball coach for the UHA boys program. Shouse led the team to a pair of regional championships in 2018 and 2021. The Blazers also appeared in the 2019 regional final. UHA also won the 2019 All A Classic state championship.
Taking over for Shouse is former assistant Melvin Brown. Brown, who is a 2002 UHA grad, was an assistant under Shouse for four seasons. In his first season, Brown will work to replace the complete starting lineup for the defending regional champions.
Gone are four double-digit scorers from last year’s team, plus the team’s starting center. K.J. Crump, Amani McGee, D.J. Quarles, William Bryan, and Edward Braxton combined to score 60.9 of the Blazers 66.6 points per game. That quintet also combined to pull down 21.1 rebounds per contest.
Key reserves Noah Shouse and Tomas Duncan graduated at the end of the 2020-2021 school year as well. So, reloading the cupboard becomes key for the first-year Blazer head coach.
That reload will start with sophomore Gavin Grubbs. Grubbs saw action in 24 games last season, averaging 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds. Those numbers should rise dramatically during the 2021-2022 season, and will have to for the Blazers to have a successful season.
After Grubbs, it will be time for a crew of youngsters to step up and take advantage of their opportunities to show what they can do on the court. Outside of Gavin Grubbs and the departed players, no Blazer saw action in more than 14 games last season.
One of the players to keep a close eye on this season will be freshman Elijah Walton. Walton had 17 points and 8 rebounds in the Blazers scrimmage against Jeffersontown. Walton, at 6-2, is long and athletic and figures to play a significant role right out of the gate for UHA.
Lemar Northington, who was among the leaders for the Blazers’ JV team last season, will be counted on to replace some of the lost scoring and rebounding for the Blazers. He had 14 points in the scrimmage against Jeffersontown.
Javion Brown, Quinton Quarles, Cameron Brown, and Preston Thomas, will all be counted on to step up and fill much bigger roles from the opening tip this season.
Junior Trevonne Wallace, who did not play last season, could be a factor for the Blazers this year.
The inexperienced Blazers will need to grow up quickly, as the schedule does not promise many breaks for UHA this season.
Home matchups for the Blazers, in addition to their district tilts, include games with Murray, Union County, Calloway County, and Madisonville.
The road schedule is even less forgiving with games against Caldwell County, Madisonville, Lyon County, Henderson County, McCracken County, and Bowling Green.
The Blazers will also play in the Henderson County holiday tournament, the City of Hopkinsville Toyota Holiday Classic, and the 2nd Region All A Classic.
UHA opens the season on the road at Caldwell County Tuesday night.
