There has been guarded optimism concerning the Livingston Central boys basketball team at various times in the past decade. However, this year the optimism isn’t guarded. It’s in your face and that’s the way they want it.
The Cardinals return virtually everyone from last year’s 9-20 team and have added one of the district’s top scorers in Bryson Walker, who comes to Smithland after a sophomore season at Crittenden County that saw him average 19 points a game.
It’s a good problem to have for coach Matt Hargrove, who can play Walker at the point and move his son Mason (6.6 ppg.) to the more comfortable role as a two-guard.
The Cardinals also boast one of the top big men in the region in Logan Wring. The 6-7 junior scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds a game last year. But those numbers did not carry over too much pre-season notoriety despite dropping some weight and adding some muscle.
Wring was left off of most pre-season top-ten player lists for the region, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by both the player and his coach.
“He averaged a double-double last year and he’s getting no respect for some reason. There’s been a lot of top 10 player polls in the region, but if he’s not a top 10 player in our region, then something is wrong. He’s just a good player.”
Livingston Central also returns senior Drew Hosick (8.2 ppg, 4 rebs) and junior Avery Zaim (5 ppg., 5 reb), who were key players last year.
BIG GAMES
The Cardinals will play in the St. Mary Holiday Classic before Christmas, an event that will feature some of the best small schools in Regions 1 and 2.
After Christmas, the Cardinals will get a pair of games at the Owensboro SportsCenter, the site of this year’s All A Classic State Tournament.
Their first matchup with Lyon County is on Dec. 10 in Eddyville.
Livingston Central is also a part of the annual Superman Classic in January in Metropolis, Ill.
UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS
“Someone who fits that bill is Reese Davidson, a senior. He had a pretty good year last year, but his body’s completely changed, and he is getting up and down the floor” Hargrove said.
“Another one is Brady Stone. He’s 6-7 but he has lost close to 70 pounds and he is a completely different ball player this year. I’m expecting some big things out of both of them.”
OUTLOOK
The more Wring can stay out of foul trouble and stay on the floor, the more beneficial it will be to the Cardinals who expect to run and gun and shoot more threes this season.
This Cardinals squad has the capability of pushing the tempo and scoring points. They can also match up defensively with just about any team in the region. The big question for Hargrove will be how soon his bench players will be able to provide the needed depth for Livingston Central to make a deep post-season run.
They already have their eyes set on the All A Classic Region Tournament and a first-round game with Dawson Springs.
The Cardinals also feel like they have a shot at unseating Lyon County in the 5th District. The Lyons have won six straight titles.
A lot of people are sleeping on this Livingston Central team and if they continue to do so, it may cause a nightmare for their opponents the deeper the season goes.
“This is the most experienced group I’ve had since I’ve been here. I’ve had these guys since their freshmen year and even younger than that. They are a mature ball club,” Hargrove said. “Offensively, this is a very, very talented group. I feel like it’s a team that’s going to shoot it well. We’ve been hitting hard what’s across the front of the jersey.”
