Quitman senior-laden team under new leader

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 12/15/22

The Quitman boy’s basketball program is looking to new Head Basketball Coach Cody Wilson, 27, to lead them into a season filled with hopes of going deep in the state playoffs.

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Quitman senior-laden team under new leader

Coach Cody Wilson gives instruction to Quitman senior Levi Thompson.
Coach Cody Wilson gives instruction to Quitman senior Levi Thompson.
(Monitor photo by Sam Major)
Posted

The Quitman boy’s basketball program is looking to new Head Basketball Coach Cody Wilson, 27, to lead them into a season filled with hopes of going deep in the state playoffs. The Bulldogs have nine seniors who have been playing together since junior high.

Last year’s team under Coach Brandon Fields made it to the area round before losing a close contest to Waskom. Fields has since moved on to the basketball job at Rains.

Wilson comes to Quitman after a successful two-year run at Union Grove where he helped resurrect the program to a playoff caliber team.

His first two years in public school was coaching at Rains High School as an assistant.  Wilson was actually a head basketball coach while in college at a private school in Athens at the age of 19. He attended Tyler Junior College and graduated from UT-Tyler.

At Quitman he coaches the secondary in football and will be an assistant in the softball program in the spring.

“I kind of got lucky my first year at Rains. I got to be an assistant on the softball state champion team that year,” Wilson reflected.

Wilson honed his basketball skills at a traditionally powerful program as a player at Martins Mill. He played for Coach Trey Moore.

“I love Coach Moore and he is one of the main reasons I wanted to be a coach,” Wilson said. “Coach Moore was all about basketball and working hard to always get better. My coaching style reflects the way he coached me.”

Wilson is impressed by his team.

“I am fortunate because the kids here work really hard. I watched them play in the past when I was at Union Grove and I knew there was talent there,” Wilson said. “I also knew Coach Webber (Shane) from my time at Rains.” 

Wilson holds the game of basketball in high regard.

“Basically I got into coaching basketball because I love and respect the game,” Wilson noted. “It’s something I want to share with kids now. Kids today don’t get out as much and I want them to enjoy the game of basketball. It may be a cliché, but the game of basketball teaches you lessons in life.”

Wilson strongly believes in defensive basketball and he parlayed his defensive talent into taking 43 charges during his senior year, five away from the state record.

“It’s hard to teach kids to take a charge,” he said. “Players have to learn how to do it and taking a charge can change the momentum, especially in a close game.”

Wilson likes what he sees with this year’s Quitman team.

“Take a kid like Brady Floyd, he is a gamer and will do what it takes to get the job done. Levi Thompson is a great scorer but I told him he had to play defense or his time would be limited and he has really answered the challenge. His defense has been good so far this year,” Wilson said.

Wilson had high praise for his big men like Landon Richey, Garin Kisinger and Ethan Presley along with the hustle and efforts of Thomas Sebedra, Carter Smith and newcomer Payton Sapp. 

Wilson believes Mineola and Mt. Pleasant Chapel Hill will be the teams to beat in district play, and Winnsboro and Mt. Vernon will be competitive. Harmony and Winona are expecting to have good seasons, too.

“We need to go into district and set the tone early. I know last year they only won one game the first round and then got tough in the second round. Mineola was the only team they did not beat in district play,” Wilson commented. “I told the guys we need to go ahead and take care of business during the first half of district.”

Expectations are high for the Quitman Bulldogs this basketball season. Wilson and his team are working hard to meet the challenge as they work to make a long playoff run this time around.