Published: July 01, 2009 09:43 pm      

BASKETBALL: Sanders earns shot at next level

NW player lands full-ride scholarship to John Wood CC

Northwestern basketball player Zech Sanders proved ready when the opportunity for extended playing time finally came his senior season. He put together a string of four straight 20-point games late in the season, finished with a team-high average of 13.9 points per game and garnered Kokomo Tribune All-Area honors.

Sanders plans to build on his breakout season when he heads to John Wood Community College in Quincy, Ill., which is located on the Mississippi River in the western part of the state. He will receive a full-ride scholarship.

“I’ve always known I can play, I just really didn’t have the chance until my last year,” Sanders said. “I just thank God for the opportunity I have right now. I want to make the most of it.”

JWCC coach Michael Elbe is glad to add Sanders to his program.

“We really feel like he’s going to be a versatile guard for us — somebody who is going to be sort of an athlete out there on the floor, that can score in a variety of ways and just be a solid basketball player for us,” Elbe said.

Sanders drilled 42 3-pointers in his senior campaign. He also scored off of drives and pull-up jumpers.

Elbe noted he knew little of Sanders until the player took part in some scrimmages at JWCC with college players and other potential recruits.

“He performed pretty well against some pretty good basketball players,” Elbe said. “He also impressed us as a person. I think he’s a good young man and he’s an intelligent person.

“We definitely feel like his best playing days are in front of him.”

Elbe noted JWCC is a defensive-oriented team.

“It’s non-traditional junior college basketball,” he said. “We’ve led or been in the top five in defensive field goal [percentage] in the nation about eight of the last 10 years. We’ll hold teams 20 to 30 points below their offensive average. We’ll score 70, 75 points a game, but we’re not going to try to beat you by scoring more points, we’re going to beat you by playing solid basketball.”

Sanders said that style suits him well.

“Defense is always first,” he said. “You can’t win games without defense.”

The Trail Blazers, who play in a new gymnasium, are a Division II junior college.

“I’m excited to go to college and play at the next level,” Sanders said. “I’m pretty sure I can go in right away and contribute at the [shooting] guard spot.”

Sanders’ brother Zavier plays at Eastern Illinois University. He will be a sophomore in the fall.