#TerryTalks Summer Preview: Jasper Vikings

Jasper High School   Head Coach: Heath Burns   Instagram: Jaspervikesbb   Twitter: @JaspervikesBB   Key Players   [player_tooltip player_id='2294845' first='Miller' last='Moody'] (6'9/PF/'25)   Instagram: miller.moody33   Miller and his 6'9 height will be counted on heavily by his team to be a huge paint presence on both ends of the floor. As it is with many kids of this type of size early on their basketball journey, their defense is ahead of their offense. The scenario can be said for Miller as he will be looked upon to contest and alter shots as well as be a dominant glass cleaner. As a sophomore, he averaged 12pts and 7rebs last season, and his squad will be looking for those numbers to increase next season. He has been working hard this off-season, adding tools to his toolbox.      Clayton Thorne (6'0/PG/'25)   Instagram: clayton_t.23   Clayton is a direct extension of Coach Burns on the floor and the epitome of the meaning coach on the floor. He brings leadership, experience, and character to the Vikings, as he is the type of player that leads by example. The Vikings team will go as Clayton goes, so they will need for him to be on every day. He has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but Coach Burns has complete confidence in Clayton, and Coach Burns believes that the more engaged and assertive Clayton is on both sides, the better the Vikings are as a unit.   [player_tooltip player_id='2472338' first='Ethan' last='Thorne'] (5'11/G/'27)   Instagram: thorne7062   I have heard of the youth in the Jasper Program all the way down into their feeder programs, and [player_tooltip player_id='2472338' first='Ethan' last='Thorne'] is one of those young up-and-coming players. He started 26 games last season as an 8th grader and showed a lot of promise. His toughness and grit are something you don't see much from kids his age, and it is highly contagious with his teammates. He has a good feel for the game, and the experience he is getting early will really pay off for the Vikings in the near future.     Coaches Corner   I spoke with Coach Burns and asked him about two players he is interested in seeing how they perform in June, and he mentioned [player_tooltip player_id='2313899' first='Caden' last='Steiner'] and Cooper Ford, as they are both around 6'4, athletic, and play the guard spot. Both are high-motor guys that defend and really shoot it well from deep. He also mentioned Jojo Odom and Titus Waldrop, 6'4 and 6'5 respectively, and very athletic. Odom and Waldrop have been on the gridiron and will be stepping onto the court for the month of June, bringing toughness, energy, and effort.   Coach Burns is excited about the depth of his team, which will allow them to play fast, which is the pace he wants his team to play. Coach Burns lit up talking about his team's offseason program, which he believes has really taken a few guys to different levels athletically when it comes to their explosiveness, vertical lift, and lateral movement.   Look for the Vikings to apply a lot of ball pressure in an attempt to speed opponents up and force more turnovers. Also, look for the length of the Vikings to make every opponent shot a tough one and even hopefully creating a lot of altered shots leading to more possessions.   Coach Burns is not just building a team year to year, but he is building a program with a championship culture. His guys know that he expects maximum effort, selflessness, and daily growth every day. Coach Burns' championship culture is built on character and accountability. So every year at Jasper, he aims to build championship kids FIRST.   Here is The Jasper Way:   Championship Kids   Championship Culture   Championship Teams   Championship Life   Here is where you can find the Vikings in the month of June:   June 9th @ Brewer   June 13th @ Jasper   June 16th @ Tanner   June 19th-21st @ B'ham Southern   June 23rd @ Deshler

Jasper High School