Sophomores could put up needed points for Morgan basketball
Mar 15, 2024 09:44AM ● By Brian Shaw
Sophomore Jake Hansen [No. 11] looks to thread the needle on a pass. Photo by McKenzie Hansen
Living up to expectations isn’t easy. But sophomore Bracken Saunders did all that and then some, as the Trojans’ leading scorer this past season.
“Bracken is the baby of his family,” said his mother. “He’s always trying to live up to the high precedent set by his 5 older brothers and 1 older sister.”
In all, the Saunders kids have yielded four first-team All-State honors, three state titles—two in basketball and one in volleyball—and three scholarship student-athletes.
“He has his work cut out for him,” joked his mother. “But he wants to be the ‘last … the best of all the game’ kind of kid. His dad always said- “Finally the 7th kid is perfect- we will stop there!”
Saunders’ mom added she has her “fingers crossed” that Bracken, who averaged a team-high 17 points per game, “can live up to all the expectations and accomplish all his dreams and goals he’s set.”
Brody Peterson was another sophomore on Morgan’s basketball team who had one shining moment—it happened during a junior varsity game at South Summit, according to his mom.
“Brody’s favorite memory would have to be his 52-point game against a tough South Summit team,” said his mom. “He looks forward to helping his team win state next season.”
His mom added that Brody loves basketball and hanging out with his friends and teammates. He “really enjoyed this year and looks forward to playing this summer and in his upcoming junior year.”
As for Jake Hansen, his mother seems to think he might have a future in broadcasting.
“Jake has grown up watching his big brothers play football and basketball so he never watched cartoons as a kid … he would turn on SportsCenter every chance he got since he could walk,” recounted his mom.
Jake’s parents think the sophomore and Trojans’ fourth leading scorer [6.7 PPG] could “recite the stats of every major football and basketball player, so if he doesn't end up playing sports, he might have a real future [in sports broadcasting]!
… He's also working on his all-natural, no-instrument elk-calling skills every chance he gets,” said Jake’s mom, who added SMH and LOL emojis for good measure. λ
