Coach’s Take: Southwood Cowboys
With the summer grassroots season in full swing, I decided to reach out to a local high school coach or two about the previous month spent with their teams. June was an action-packed month full of team camps and summer league play. The Southwood Cowboys, headed by Coach Eddie Hamilton, Jr., were in the midst of that action playing across north Louisiana and east Texas. I caught up with Coach Hamilton to discuss four of his key players and got his take on how they performed.
Rod Stinson / 6’3″ / 2019 Shooting Guard
Our take: One of the most gifted wing shooters in the Shreveport-Bossier area. He is a two way player who has the potential for a breakout high school season.
Coach Hamilton’s take: Rod is a player who has grown between the end of last season to now. He is the most reliable shooter that we have on the team. Whether it is shooting a jumper or shooting free throws, we can count on Rod to bury them. Rod scores the ball on all three levels now that he has developed his mid-range game. He is basically a multi-dimensional player who can excel on offense and defense.
Rod’s on-the-ball defense is stellar. He digs in defensively and makes it difficult for the offensive player to accomplish much. I believe that Rod can be one of the top wing players in the state if his confidence continues to grow. Once he embraces the fact that he can play on par with the top players in the state, there is nothing that Rod will not be able to accomplish on the basketball court.
Bobby Baker / 5’7″ / 2019 Point Guard
Our take: Baker is a defensive stalwart who is also hard to stay in front of on offense. Even at his height, he is one of the better point guards because of his ability to drive and pass. This season will show what a talent he is on both ends of the floor.
Coach Hamilton’s take: Offensively, Bobby is a capable shooter. His three point shot is improving which is allowing him to become a multi-level scorer. Bobby is best when he gets to the basket. He can breakdown a defense, at will, with his driving ability. Defenders can not stop him from getting into the lane. These intangibles, coupled with his passing ability, are what we need from him to run the team effectively.
On defense, Bobby is a ball hawk. His ability to guard can wear down opposing guards during a game when he is locked in. When he sets the tone defensively for us, we are a much better team. Bobby’s defense is the most important asset he possesses. He is a game changer on that end of the floor.
Sadarionne “SD” Ellis / 6’3″ / 2019 Combo Guard
Our take: SD is an offensive weapon who also has lead guard ability. His mid-range jumper is superior to others his age. When the high school season commences, he will drain a ton of jumpers from mid-range and deep. With his dribbling skills, this is one guard that will be almost impossible to stop.
Coach Hamilton’s take: SD is a gifted scorer. He is one of the best scorers I have ever coached. As far as tough shots are concerned, he makes them. SD has proven that he can hit the contested shots time and time again. With the floor more open with what we were doing this summer, his confidence on the offensive end has continued to grow.
SD has also made strides on the defensive end. He has learned to give more of himself on that end. Even with the improvements, Sadarionne still needs to work on his consistency playing hard on defense. He is coming along and that is good to see.
Christian Caldwell / 6’6″ / 2019 Wing Player
Our take: Caldwell has made an enormous leap from the January until now in his play. His athletic ability is eye-popping to say the least. He runs the floor like a gazelle and jumps out of the gym. He has guard skills as well. Once his jumper becomes consistent with his other attributes, he will be a sure-fire, Division I athlete.
Coach Hamilton’s take: Christian is definitely the most athletic kid I have coached. He can score the ball inside and outside. I see his confidence growing as his game expands. Christian is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Refining his guard skills will be important as his game grows.
One thing he needs to work on is his strength. The weight room is a must right now. As Christian’s understanding of his role offensively and defensively continues to progress, he will become a better player for us. His potential is definitely there.
As one can see, the Southwood Cowboys have many pieces that can lead them to a great season in class 5A. Coach Hamilton preaches defense and his players being in sync with one another. One thing is for certain. If these three seniors and their high flying junior teammate embrace what they learn, the Cowboys will make another quarterfinal run…….or further.