By Joanna Chadwick
Salina South junior Sawyer Walker took the offseason seriously when he put on 25 pounds.
“Over the past year, I’ve grown in every way as a player of the game,” Walker said. “The biggest difference is going from 150 pounds to 175 pounds last offseason, while also continuing with trying to gain weight, as well as getting my handle tighter and game IQ higher.”
Basketball is a major part of Walker’s life.
“I love every aspect of basketball, simple as that,” he said.
Walker has made an impact offensively due to his ability to score from three-point range.
In a close game with Valley Center on Dec. 20, Walker hit four threes in the first half.
“Sawyer is a very good shooter,” Salina South coach Jason Hooper said. “At 6-foot-4, he is able to get his shot off quickly and has great range as a three-point shooter. He has been working very hard at not just being a shooter and has done a much better job this season at being able to score off the dribble when people chase him off the three-point line.”
But Hooper urged Walker to become more versatile.
I really challenged Sawyer after last season to become a more rounded player and not just be known as a shooter,” Hooper said. “As I mentioned, he has learned to score in a variety of different ways this season.
“He has also continued to grow as a defender. Last year things were happening pretty fast for him on the defensive end and he has really grown in that respect. He knows defense is an area that one should constantly be striving to improve in order to play at the level he wants. He has and will continue to get better, the more experience he gets.”
Walker is consistently looking for ways to improve and become more versatile.
“I want to continue putting in work and just keep progressing in all aspects of the game – getting my shot off more consistently, always being aggressive and playing great defense and always communicating,” Walker said. “Also, working on getting to the free-throw line more.
“I’m always down with learning new things about basketball and I love listening while being coached.”
His desire to learn has not gone unnoticed.
“He works very hard on his game and it shows,” Hooper said. “He is a great example for all of our players at how hard you have to work and how much time you need to spend in order to be great at something. He wants to be a great basketball player and that sort of drive is contagious to be around.”
