Dynamic duo: Crothersville could have "special" season ahead with junior, senior leading the way

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Last winter, the program got a taste of what the duo could do on the hardwood.

In the 2018-19 season, Crothersville boys basketball coach Greg Kilgore thinks something even more special could be in the works.

Senior Logan Brewer and junior Josh Thomas are the “heart and soul” of the team, but you wouldn’t know it if you asked them.

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While they’re soft-spoken off the court, they’re tenacious on it.

The two have different backgrounds, but like the rest of their teammates, consider themselves brothers.

Over the past three seasons, Thomas has largely been the face of the Tigers’ program.

Thomas, a 6-0 point guard, scored a school-record 453 points his freshman season while averaging 2.2 rebounds and assists and 2.4 steals per game. He also set the school record for made 3-pointers in a season that year, sinking 52 treys.

While Thomas shined, the team struggled in the 2016-17 season. CHS finished 7-17 that year.

Last year, the tides turned for the Tigers, and a big part of that was Brewer transferring in from Columbus East.

Brewer also 6-0, can play at either the guard or forward spot, and score from anywhere on the floor.

By the season’s end, Brewer finished second in Jackson County in scoring with 384 points. He shot 55 percent from the field and pulled down 119 rebounds (5.4 RPG), while recording 50 assists (1.8 APG) and 56 steals (2.3 SPG).

Against Christel House Academy, Brewer set the school record for points in a game with 45.

With the addition of Brewer, Thomas finished with 311 points while shooting 43 percent and pulling down 143 rebounds (6.0 RPG), 58 steals (2.42) and 75 assists (3.13 APG).

While Thomas’ scoring numbers slightly dipped, the Tigers had more success on the court.

Crothersville finished 15-9, which was their first winning season since 2011-12.

Both earned All-SAC honors.

When Brewer first got to Crothersville, he wasn’t sure how everything would go.

“I didn’t know how to feel when I first moved in. I was the new guy and didn’t really know anybody,” Brewer said. “It felt like, as soon as I came in, everyone had open arms. The community here is fantastic. It’s crazy to see how I came in first day and almost the entire school knew me by my first name. Everyone is so nice and welcoming. It’s the best feeling in the world after moving in from a big school. They welcomed me into their family.

I’m familiar with the town, I have family here and is one of the reasons I moved here, but it’s amazing to see that not only I have family here but I have guys on the team that accept me as one of their brothers.”

Thus far into the season, four games, Thomas has 62 points and Brewer has scored 96. Brewer has 20 rebounds to Thomas’ 16 and also leads in steals 15-9. Thomas has the edge in assists 9-7.

Brewer is shooting 55 percent from the field to Thomas’ 49.

“These past couple years have been amazing,” Thomas said. “My freshman year, I had to help carry the team. If I wasn’t going, they weren’t going. I haven’t had to worry about that the past two years. Having Logan and all of them helps me out a lot. It takes pressure off me and makes me play better.”

Thomas will break 1,000 points this season, as he stands at 826 going into Friday’s game at Shawe Memorial.

Brewer and Thomas aren’t the only two bringing leadership to the team, as four-year varsity letterman Lane Wienhorst has also been a leader.

The three have helped elevate the play of sophomore teammates Cable Spall, Quinten Keasler and Timmy Burton, who are all getting their first taste of varsity minutes this season.

“Wienhorst, Spall, Keasler and Burton are all also capable of scoring,” Kilgore said. I think we have five guys that can score 20 points on any given night.”

Both Thomas and Brewer echoed that their teammates are a big part of their own successes.

“Honestly, I don’t think we elevate the team. I think they elevate us,” Brewer said. “The way that everyone is almost connected out there on the court At times, we’re the ones that can makes the plays. However, there is an describable connection between all of us. When it’s there, it is the best feeling.”

Thomas said, “We like to get our teammates going. Once we get them going, it gets us going. Then we start clicking as a team.”

The Tigers are 3-1 this season. Their lone loss was to Orleans, which hit a miracle buzzer-beater for the win in the team’s season-opener.

“The crazy thing is that we’re four games into the season, and we are coming in and playing really well together,” Brewer said. “It’s going to be crazy to see what our prime is when sectional time comes.”

Kilgore is excited to see what the team can do with Thomas and Brewer putting up big numbers this season.

“If those two keep playing like they’re playing, it could be pretty special going forward,” Kilgore said.

Crothersville doesn’t own a sectional title in boys basketball, and has one Southern Athletic Conference crown (2010).

“We want to go out there and get that sectional title,” Thomas said. “It would mean a lot for this town.”

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