Last year, Galena guard Cody Jones averaged nearly 27 points per game, helping the Bears go 20-5 on their way to their best season in decades. But with five all-conference players back, any of whom could lead the team in scoring on a given night, head coach Scott Brakebill asked Cody to play a different role this year. “Leadership, leading on the offensive end, the defensive end, and just the overall growth of trying to build a championship team in his senior year,” said Brakebill. “We had a couple of games where we went down to Arkansas, and we put him on the best player.”
Coach Brakebill would know. The former Bear was on the Missouri State (then Southwest Missouri State) team that went to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Now he just wants these Bears to win the team’s first district title since before his players were born. Cody is ready for that. “Be a better leader,” said Cody, a senior on the team. “That’s what I really wanted to do. We didn’t have any seniors last year or my sophomore year. Now I’m trying to be a leader for the underclassmen to develop their game when I’m not here for them next year.”
“Might see some points per game go down,” Brakebill added. “But you’re seeing the basketball player go up.”
This year it’s 18 points per game. And Cody couldn’t care less. “I have two guys on me, I’ll kick it to the open man,” Cody said. “Any way to score for the team. The more I get my team involved, the more I’ll be open later in the game.”
It’s something his teammates appreciate. “Team leader, the captain,” said Seth Hatcher, a senior on the team. “Everyone looks up to him. And if we need anything done we know we can count on him to get it done. He wants to win. Anything that we can do to win he’s willing to do it.”
For Cody that’s one thing. “Districts,” Cody added. “Win districts, win conference. Hopefully make a run late season. We haven’t done that ever that I can remember.”
But they’ve also never had a player with this talent ready to play this role.
