After a five-year hiatus, the Weaubleau boys basketball team became district champions again two years ago. Last season they won back-to-back titles for the first time since well before that. It’s no coincidence those were the sophomore and junior years for all-state guard Gage Johnson.
“He hit big shots for us last year,” said Weaubleau head coach Blake Allen. “He hit two game-winners. He always kind of wants the ball in his hands for that. Kind of makes my job a lot easier when you have a guy who wants that moment.”
And at the moment the baseball Tigers have also won four straight district titles. So every player who hits the basketball hardwood over the winter then heads to the baseball diamond in the spring. Everyone except Gage.
“So he’s one of the only guys who doesn’t play baseball,” Allen said. “So we’re in the gym a lot. Every fall, every spring. So we’ve gotten pretty close over that time.”
His basketball coach appreciates it. But how does the Weaubleau baseball coach feel knowing an all-state athlete at the school is not playing his sport?
“I’m not much of a baseball player now,” said Gage, a senior on the basketball team. “I could play a little bit in middle school. But I don’t think he’s too worried about it.”
And while he pours his time and energy into the gym, he’s got plenty of time to be serious about other things. “Off the court he’s a little squirrely,” Allen said.
“I don’t really know where that came from,” Gage disagreed, with a laugh. “I don’t know what that comment is.”
“He’d always want to go give me knucks [a fist bump],” Allen added. “I’d go give him the knuckles. Then he’d just go ‘snail’ me.”
The “snail” is when someone expects a handshake and gets something totally different. But Gage’s coach insists he has matured. And Gage says they’re all business when it comes to their goals.
“I would like to get to the Final Four,” Gage said. “We were really close last year. I feel like one bad quarter kept us away from there. I think as a team and basketball players we’ve matured. And we’ll be able to close out games and get there this year.”
With Gage leading the way, this program has already hit a home run.
