By Ken Hansard
The Webb City Cardinals boys’ basketball squad will return a host of talent to the hardwood this winter, and leading the way will be senior combo guard Trae Turner, who provides the motor that keeps the Cards running smoothly. Webb City Head Coach Jason Horn says, “Trae is a very skilled and athletic guard who can finish plays at the rim. He will be one of the best athletes in southwest Missouri.”
Turner’s athleticism and skill make him a bit of a menace on both ends of the court. He led the COC in steals for most of the season last year, averaging an eye-opening 3.5 steals per game. This year, he has his sights set on an equally impressive offensive goal – scoring his thousandth points, “I’ve been getting my shot down. Last year a lot of teams knew I wasn’t fully confident in my shot, so they would back off of me. But that won’t be a problem this year. One personal goal I have is to reach 1000 points this year, but more importantly, as a team it is to win the district championship and make a deep run in the playoffs.”
After finishing last season 16-13 with a loss in the district finals to Parkview, Turner and his teammates have worked hard in the off-season and are ready to hopefully propel the Cardinals to new heights, “I do kind of have my sights set on Parkview somewhat, since they ended our season last year, but honestly, I think that if we stay healthy and play as one then we won’t have much to worry about.
Turner currently carries an impressive 4.0 GPA. After graduation, he has plans to go to college and would love to continue to play basketball at the next level.
