After two seasons of dipping its toe in the waters of KHSAA basketball play, the Heritage Christian Academy Warriors are ready to dive into the deep end for good.
The Hopkinsville private school has completed its probationary period with the KHSAA after moving from the Kentucky Christian Athletic Association.
However, the transition has been smoother than some had expected. HCA advanced to the All A Classic region championship game last year and won the Kentucky Christian Athletic Conference state title – a tournament of Christian schools in the KHSAA – two years ago.
HCA was 12-22 against KHSAA schools during its probationary time but just 3-14 against Second Region teams.
HCA Coach Matt McGowan said getting to experience the 22 games against KHSAA schools will benefit his team this year.
“We expected to speed of play, but just seeing it was an eye-opener. The physicality, again, expected it. But seeing it play out was definitely a change,” he said. “We going to compete this year. We may not always be right there at the end of the game, but we’re gonna compete all the way through and we’re gonna surprise a lot of people.”
Heritage exited the KCAA in style, winning the state title to give the large senior class a nice-going away gift.
But McGowan has to replace the program’s all-time leading scorer in Carlos Robles as well as three of last year’s top five leading rebounders.
Junior Jason Leek averaged 18 points a game and was in the top two in assists, and steals. He was a nice offensive complement to Robles the past two years but becomes ‘the guy’ for HCA this year.
“When you talk about Carlos, the biggest thing that he left was not the points or scoring. It was the work ethic that he passed off to these guys. So we’re looking forward to them picking that up, picking up the mantle, and moving on,” McGowan said.
Leek, who can play either guard position, knows the defensive bullseye now rests on his back.
“Learning how to stay calm and seeing how the playing level was different was a big chance for me. I feel like my role this year is definitely being more of a leader. Being able to step up and show the role and have other people follow my example, play hard, having the work ethic and always being able to lift up the team and just be in there and run the offense correctly,” he said.
McGowan will be looking for more production from senior Camden Higgins, who came off the bench to give the Warriors four points and three rebounds.
“I’ll do whatever needs to be done for my team. I’m here just for my teammates in the end and getting the win is what really matters for my team,” Higgins said.
Landen Wells, a 6-4 senior, gives the Warriors some size inside.
Outside of that, McGowan will turn to a lot of inexperience and youth to fill the gaps in the lineup to replace last year’s large graduating class and a couple of players who chose not to play this year.
“We’ve got really good numbers in our program right now. And we’ve had that for the past three or four years. It comes with consistency and it comes with just being around. These guys know that I’m going to put work in for them,” McGowan said. “I’m going with a seventh grader and eighth grader on a roster this year that we’re really looking for three, four years from now than being the core of the program.”
McGowan, who also doubles as HCA’s athletic director, knew there would be some who questioned why the school would move to the KHSAA and be placed in a district with Hopkinsville, Christian County, and University Heights Academy. But he knows the move is good for the school on several levels.
“There’s a little bit more publicity. A little bit more spotlight on the guys. But it also means there’s not as much for them. Not as many places for them to hide, but we’re still playing the KCAC tournament and the All A Classic.
Heritage Christian Academy will play its first two games at home against Clarksville Christian (Nov. 28) and Union County (Nov. 30).
They will play Caldwell County in the West Kentucky Hoops Classic on Dec. 21 and play in the eight-team City of Hopkinsville Holiday Classic on Jan. 6 against Grace Christian Academy, Ga.
