At Overton High School, head coach Cedric Henderson is re-establishing the culture of winning basketball. Two years removed from capturing a state championship in 2022, the program once again seeks to reach the pinnacle, this time with Henderson at the helm.
However, the roster constructed for that year’s squad will drastically be different from this year’s squad, which Henderson carefully constructed to fit his vision for this year’s Wolverines squad. That vision consists of on-court development and a lot of winning.
The second year Overton coach isn’t shy about the ideal player for his program, a player who values team success and concepts over individual accolades. With the 2024 season opener tipping off tonight against Campbell High School (MO), Henderson is optimistic about his team’s chances for the upcoming campaign.
“The guys are more bought in than they were last year, and with the new additions to the team, it’s been refreshing to see them mesh together the way they have,” said Henderson, a former Memphis State hoops star and NBA veteran.
Last season, Overton finished their campaign with a 8-16 record, but for newcomer Kevin Gladney, that’s not relevant to the team’s focus and drive for this year. He’s determined to be part of a winning squad, and is confident the off-season workouts and summer league competition benefited the Wolverines well.
“Working out wasn’t the most fun thing in the world, but we all know that there’s a method to Coach Henderson’s plan, and we just want to win,” Gladney said.
Henderson pushed his players through the offseason through rigorous conditioning exercises to improve his team’s stamina late in games. In addition to overseeing the school’s basketball program, he doubled as the boys cross country head coach at Overton, with several of his players participating on the squad as well.
With most of the team consisting of juniors and sophomores, there’s chances for players to develop for this year and beyond. However, for the team’s only senior, guard Freddy Ards, this is his final opportunity to achieve success at the high school level.
“I have to give it all I got on the court this year, because I know that this chance will be my last when it comes to winning at Overton,” Ards said. “There’s a lot of talent and versatility on this team, and I’m positive that everyone will be in sync when the season begins.”
A majority of the players migrated to Overton High School over the summer for the opportunity to play under the guidance of the tactical Henderson. The players possess a sense of unity that gives the upcoming season an opportunity to be different from last year’s campaign.
“We have a lot of talent, and I am looking forward to stepping up and being a leader on this team,” Jhourdan Chauffin, a junior, said. “There’s a lot of good things that will come out of this year, we are just going to have to compete and do it all as a team.”
Added Butler: “I knew I had to focus on improving my strength and endurance during the offseason, and we all have different things that we all got better at during the summer that will benefit us in the season.”
With Overton competing in the same district as schools including White Station, Whitehaven and Memphis East, Henderson pushed his players to the maximum during the offseason. He openly acknowledges the challenges his team will face in the upcoming season, but is confident his team will rise to the occasion.
“I think that with the amount of preparation our team has had, from the summer to now, they’ll be ready for whatever the season throws at them,” Henderson said. “With the new guys meshing with the returning pieces, there’s a high level of expectations that I have for them, and I’m sure they’ll meet them.”
