Sikeston BIG man is spending summer making BIG strides in his game

Summer school was in session at a back gymnasium on the Sikeston High School campus on Thursday, and Bulldog junior-to-be Trace Sadler was immersed in some serious studying and learning.

“Trace has to learn how to put himself in position to receive the ball,” veteran Sikeston varsity boy’s basketball coach Gregg Holifield said of Sadler. “He’s gotten so much better at scoring around the basket.”

That was evident during the Bulldogs’ scrimmaging, but the first thing that catches everyone’s eyes, including college coaches, is the fact that Sadler is 6-foot-11.

“You can’t teach 6-11,” Holifield said correctly.

But what you can teach is athleticism, agility, and touch, and Sadler possesses each of those traits.

“He is moving so much better,” Holifield said. “His strength has improved. His agility has improved. And his ball-handling and passing has improved.”

Sadler is a young colt that is working to get better this summer, and he is showing the ability to take strides in his development, seemingly, every time the sun rises.

“The rest of the summer,” Sadler explained, “I want to get a few more offers.”

Whoa, young colt. Settle down, there.

Sadler is only entering his junior season at Sikeston, so there will be plenty of time to receive “offers,” but the pursuit of him is already underway.

Southeast Missouri State has already offered him a scholarship, and he rattled off several other NCAA Division I programs that are speaking with him through the early stages of recruitment.

“Trace just has to continue to get better,” Holifield said.

During the scrimmage, Sadler ran the floor well, and showed quick feet in moving over to defend and challenge shots.

He effortlessly dunks off drop steps and can face the basket very comfortably.

At one point in the scrimmage, he ran down the lane on the weakside and leaped in the air, caught a hard-thrown pass from a teammate and showed deft touch in banking in a short jumper.

Ask any coach – high school or college – how many 6-foot-11 guys have all the skills and abilities to do that, and players who can, don’t grow on trees.

“I want to get better skills before the season starts,” Sadler said.

Sadler also wants to be an even bigger, stronger athlete this season.

He took the early part of June off from the weight room in order to rest his knees, but he has spent this month playing a lot of basketball and got back into the weight room “two weeks ago.”

Prior to this month, he was in the weight room three times each week and has “gained 15 pounds,” and now weighs 205 pounds.

Sadler also is striving to grow off the court, as well.

He, along with several Sikeston teammates, recently attended a leadership seminar put on by the Southeast Missouri State football program, and Sadler said he took some lessons away from the day of learning.

“I learned that there is more than one way to be a leader,” Sadler said. “There are more approaches that you can take. I used to try and bring everyone together, but individual people need to be led in individual ways.

“You can single someone out and tell them what they need to do.”