Every year, two area basketball teams get an entry into the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.
These two teams get to play against some of the best teams in the country.
This year, Branson-based Link Academy is out to prove they’re the best team in America in just their second season.
Ja’Kobe Walter is a top 20 player in the nation and chose to leave his home in Dallas, Texas for his senior season.
“At first it was a little hard just because of having to be away from family and living away from them,” said Walter.
The Baylor commit now spends his days in Branson preparing for his next chapter in life and in basketball.
“Just the everyday grind we get into I just know it can make me a better player for the next level,” Walter said.
That everyday grind starts with breakfast and weight training, followed by practice, lunch and school.
“In the classroom they start and go for about five hours in school, we eat dinner at 5:30, then a lot of times come back and do some kind of shooting workout or offensive review just depends on what time of year. It’s about a 12-hour a day job for them,” said Link Lions head coach Bill Armstrong.
Such is a day in the life of the standout basketball players at national prep power Link Academy.
“I believe all 12 guys on our roster will play division one, seven of them are already committed,” Armstrong said.
Like Elliot Cadeau who’s headed to North Carolina, and Tennessee commit Cam Carr. Carr is the only returner from last year’s national runner-up team.
“It’s just a different environment from being at a regular high school to going against top 100 players every day,” said senior Cam Carr.
They also play a national schedule.
“The life experience that they get that you don’t get at a traditional high school where they have to travel the night before to a game, play a game of two games and then travel home and then get up Monday morning and go to school,” Armstrong said.
The Link Lions are a new program, but coach Bill Armstrong believes it’s only a matter of time before there’s more teams like Link.
“I honestly think that in the next five years you’ll see all the top 50 kids in the country playing at a school like Link Academy,” Armstrong said.
Until then, and until these players go to college, they’re focused on a national championship and winning the Tournament of Champions.
“I’m excited, I heard a lot of good things about the tournament, a lot of people and we’re all fired up,” Walter said.
“I’m really excited, it’s another chance to show why we’re the best team in the country,” Carr added.
Link Academy will play St. Rita in the opening round on Thursday. See the full bracket here.
