Shawn Jenkins took the job at Independence two years ago, understanding the program was in a rebuild phase. His first two years were filled with tough losses as his team took its lumps.
Now with multiple retuning starters and an infusion of talented middle school players that have begun to trickle their way up, the Patriots are ready to take the next step forward.
“Well, I do think we’re gonna be very competitive,” Jenkins said. “I only have eight players right now and then I’m expecting anywhere from nine or 10 once football season is over with so we’re kinda in limbo right now. I think once they get there and we get everybody in there and we get to working hard we’ll see. I like how they played in the summer. We went and played a little bit and I just kinda like how they played and I think we’re gonna be really competitive this year.”
Part of Jenkins’ optimism comes because of the talent he’ll have. While it will take some time to get everyone up to speed after another deep playoff run for the football program, he expects they’ll be good before long.
“We got Sylas Nelson, who was the running back and having a great year in football, but he’s gonna have a great year in basketball,” Jenkins said. I’ve had him here since he was a freshman and he dribbles the ball and shoots the ball really well and penetrates and goes to the basket. We’re gonna have Ashton Arthur on the other side and he’s been here since he was a freshman. I’ve had the last two years with him as well and now they’re both juniors so I’m expecting big things from them too. Brock Green, who’s coming in from the middle school, he’s had a great football season as well, but I’m expecting him to be our big. He is going to be as good on the basketball court as he is the football field. He’s gonna be a great leader as a young man, as a young 15-year-old kid. He’s not a typical 15-year-old boy and so I’m excited about having him.
“We’re gonna have Landon Riddle who’s gonna play this year and Brady Rose is gonna play. Deegan Williams is another returning player we’re gonna have. He started last year as a freshman so he’s gonna be a sophomore and he’s gonna be an important factor to our team and then we’re gonna have Kaden Bradburry. He’s gonna be another one that’s athletic and quick and fast. I’ve got a lot of plans and a lot of things that’s running through my mind to get him where I need him to be. We’re gonna have Reid Warden who played for us last year and he’ll be a force for us. We’ve just got a lot of work to do. I moved a couple games back, we don’t play our first game till after Christmas. I realized kind of early on in the season and I watched a lot of football so I was like we’re pretty good so we’re probably gonna go deep. I immediately started moving my games and I’m getting them back just so I could have them for almost 2 weeks of practice before we actually play our first game.”
Despite a tourney drought, Jenkins’ expectations for any team he coaches never change. They’re made tougher by a region that expanded to nine teams with Princeton and Greenbrier East dropping in from Class AAAA.
“It’s kind of like the old saying you know you just kind of play your deal and that’s kind of just the way I approached it,” Jenkins said. “My expectations never change out there. They’re always trying to get to Charleston. I mean that’s just that’s the one main goal, to get there.. My expectations will always be there no matter what. Â I do think we’re gonna have our hands full with some of those teams like Princeton, Greenbrier East, Herbert Hoover and Sissonville’s supposed to be really good. Shady, you know they’re Shady and that’s a hill to climb. But sometimes you just gotta look at it, face the mountain and know you can get up it.”
If Indy is to make a deep run that eventually ends in Charleston, Jenkins already sees a vital early aspect that’s in place and will aid the cause.
“You know I just believe it’s going to be chemistry,” Jenkins said. “I believe our chemistry is gonna be pretty good. These kids seem like they all like wanna know. There’s no confrontation within them. What I mean by is they don’t like to lose and I like kids that’s like that. I mean I’ve had some kids previously in my career that losing didn’t bother them. When losing don’t bother you don’t seem to never get over that but these kids, they don’t like to lose. They don’t like that at all and so that’s that’s my mentality and my mentality kinda fits in with their personality. I think we’re gonna be a hard out and I think we’re gonna be much better than maybe people expect us to be.”
