“It honestly was one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt,” said Forsyth senior Ryder Blevins.
Last year, he jammed his way into the Ozark’s consciousness when he won the Tournament of Champions Slam Dunk contest. “It was so crazy,” Ryder said. “There were so many people there. Everyone there was yelling ‘Forsyth!'”
He had a packed JQH Arena chanting his hometown’s name. Now, after a 10-0 start, he has his sights on getting his hometown’s name in the Missouri High School basketball record books. “Making it to the Final Four is our ultimate goal this year,” he said.
And if Ryder and his teammates do something they’ve never done before, it may be because they have a player capable of doing things like no one before him. “He’s like Spyder man out there,” said Forsyth Head Coach Kevin Smith.
And just like the Marvel Super Hero, he’s doing it for us. “You get so much adrenaline going and once you actually do it, the crowd goes crazy and it feels so good,” Ryder said.
While Spiderman has the Big Apple, Ryder is in a town of about 2,700 tucked away near the Missouri/Arkansas state line. “A lot of people don’t know, but the best thing about Ryder is what he is off the floor,” Smith said.
So what does Ryder do when he’s off the basketball court that makes him so good? “Not much really,” said Ryder. “It’s usually just basketball.”
Oh, and the occasional Ozarks hunt. This basketball season, he could bag his biggest kill yet come postseason. And his coach is just excited to see what more he’s capable of.
“He’s a great compassionate kid,” said Smith. “And I look forward to seeing him grow as a young man.”
And we’re looking forward to seeing him throw down.
