CENTERBURG – There is one new face making an impact for the Centerburg boys basketball team among the core of returners from of last year’s squad.
That new face, Levi Houck, has helped the Trojans maintain an undefeated record in Knox Morrow Athletic Conference play. After playing as a freshman, Houck, now a junior, wasn’t on last year’s Centerburg squad, which shared the league crown with Northmor.
“I was at a point where I just didn’t want to play anymore,” a soft-spoken Houck said, standing in a quiet hallway following the Trojans’ 70-21 loss to Worthington Christian on Dec. 23. It was their first loss of the season. Houck was held scoreless with three rebounds and a pair of assists.
Something happened to Houck as he watched his former teammates win a league title last year.
“I went to all the games last year,” he said. “I watched them all.”
He missed the environment of a team, the jokes in the locker rooms, the comradery with friends and the act of doing something bigger than himself.
It’s that last one that makes him a perfect fit with this year’s squad.
“I came back and I’m really enjoying it,” Houck said. “I’m back in the flow of everything. I like to play the wing (and) I can play the point guard some. I like to get everyone involved as much as I can. (I use that) to set myself up for shots and opportunities.”
“I just think he comes from a good family, Centerburg born and bred,” Centerburg coach John Marhefka said. “He’s got good roots. He’s good all over — good in the classroom, good with his teammates.”
Centerburg (6-1, 6-0) is unbeaten in the KMAC along with Fredericktown (5-0, 4-0). The two have a two-game cushion in the loss column ahead of Cardington (6-2), whom the Trojans’ needed overtime to beat in their last league contest on Dec. 22. Houck knocked down a couple of 3-pointers and scored 10 points, behind only Jones with 24 points and Mead with 17.
Centerburg still features Carter Jones, Mckinnon Mead, Dalton Hall, Landon Griffith, Jack Gregory and Isaiah Reynolds, who all played key roles last season. Jones is the lone senior amongst a core of juniors. Then there’s Houck, who is averaging 9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists and is shooting 51% from the field — including 40% from 3-point range — through the first six games.
“After having a year off, sometimes it’s tough to come back in,” Marhefka said. “He’s still learning. When you’re a year out and these guys are playing all year round — 24-7 — everybody was wondering what it was going to be like.”
Houck’s 12 3-pointers leads the Trojans. He ranks second on the team in scoring behind Jones, who averages 17.3 points per game. He’s third on the team in rebounds behind Jones (10.2) and Reynolds (5.7) and third on the team in assists behind Mead (4.8) and Jones (2.7).
“I hope he’s having a good experience,” Marhefka said. “He’s great to have with the guys and he’s a good part of the team, and I think he’s earned and worked his way into that. I think he’s at the stage right now where his best days are ahead of him.”
Centerburg doesn’t return to league play until Jan. 8 when it hosts the Freddies with first place on the line.
