Prospect Watch: Cade Combs (2018)
Class of 2018 wing Cade Combs of Harrisburg High is one of the top players in Mid-Missouri.
The 6’4″ Combs has been a dominant player for Harrisburg at the Class 2 level last season, but he has been looking to expand his horizons during the grassroots season. He is spending the summer playing for the talented Ramey-Jets United team that is competing in the Adidas Uprising Series Gauntlet Finale in South Carolina this week. Combs has been playing on a team with high level Division I recruits such as Courtney Ramey and Torrence Watson.
“The competition has helped me out a lot,” Combs said. “It has helped me get tougher and more physical. You have to be tough to stay in the game. I think I fit in well with the team. Not only are they great players, but they are a great group of guys to bond with.”
During the high school season, Combs has done his best to keep up the winning tradition at Harrisburg. As a junior, he averaged 21 points a game to lead the Bulldogs to a Final Four berth and third-place finish in the Class 2 state tournament while playing for his father Steve Combs, a former standout at Harrisburg himself.
“It was a great time,” Combs said. “It was very exciting to go to the Final Four. It was one of the best times of my life.”
In addition to his scoring, Combs also averaged 8.7 rebounds, three assists and three steals a game. He displayed scoring ability from anywhere on the floor as he could drive to the basket and knock down mid-range jumpers.
Combs was at his best during the Bulldogs’ postseason run to the Final Four. He scored 38 points in the Bulldogs’ 91-76 win over Eugene in the district championship game. In the state quarterfinals, Combs scored on a driving layup at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs a one-point victory over Clopton to send his team to state.
“It was a great feeling to score the game winner,” he said. “My teammates gave me a great look at the end of the game. It was fun.”