Knox Celebrates Success
By Paul Dendiu
Pilot Sports
PLYMOUTH � What a difference a year makes.
A season ago, the Knox boys basketball team finished with an 11-12 record and a loss to Whitko in the sectional semifinals. The Redskins (21-5) not only avenged that defeat in this year�s tournament, they fell one victory shy of advancing to the Final Four.
�There�s a little quote I put on their stat packets at the end of last season: �Without a struggle there can be no progress.� Last year was a struggle, this year was the progression,� coach Todd Boldry said after last Saturday�s 68-45 loss to No. 1 Gary Roosevelt. �Last year�s struggles made us realize we needed to become better basketball players. We got a lot better in one year�s time.�
Boldry attributed the success to one factor: hard work.
�These kids put in a lot of time in the off-season,� he said. �We were in the gym last spring after the season was done, we were in the gym this summer, we were in this fall. We worked on a lot of different skills, and I think you saw the results.�
The most impressive result was a 17-game winning streak that began in late December.
Boldry believes the first win (against Cambridge City at the Super Hoops New Year's Classic) in that series ultimately set the tone for the rest of the year.
�I told the other coaches, �If we don�t get this one, it could be a long season.�,� Boldry said. �We stepped up and responded.�
Knox won that game by 22, and proceeded to run off 16 more wins, including a sweep of its final five Northern State Conference games on its way to its first league title since 1999.
�There were only one or two games that I didn�t think we were there mentally. That�s a sign of good leadership and having a veteran team that understands what it takes to be successful,� Boldry said. �You have to give them credit for listening and executing the game plan night in and night out.�
Boldry�s six seniors � Cole Herr, Tyler Moore, Josh Sponaugle, Cory Masson, Josh Lawrence and Tyler Sennert � played the biggest part in that game plan.
�The seniors have nothing to be ashamed of because they left it all on the floor,� Boldry said. �They didn�t hold anything back and they didn�t back down. I just can�t say enough about them. They�re hard-working, they�re coachable. We didn�t play the best basketball in the world all the time, but I give them a lot of credit for recognizing what they needed to work on. These kids are very special to me.�
Perhaps none was more special than Moore, who scored 52 points in two games during the regional.
�He�s been a three-year starter, and I can�t say enough about the way he�s changed his game this year,� Boldry said of his 6-4 forward. �He could average 20, 25 points per game at a lot of places. He averages 14 for us because he gives himself up to let other guys score. If he averages 20 points per game, we don�t win the sectional. Him doing other things allowed us to be successful and win.�
So did the fan support.
�I want to congratulate the fans,� Boldry said. �I told our kids in the last huddle before the (regional championship) game started to make sure they looked at the crowd and took it in a little bit. The place was packed with Redskins fans, and that�s something our kids will never forget. This is a community thing, a chance for the community of Knox to come together and rally around one team. It�s just done wonders for the school atmosphere and the community atmosphere.�
It also did wonders for the future of Knox basketball.
�We have our kids and our fans believing that we can compete at the 3A level,� Boldry said. �We got better as a program this year. As a coach, that�s what you strive for.�
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