High School Spotlight: Southport Cardinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The High School Spotlight Series is back and we are excited to feature multiple teams throughout the state once again! The season is still a few months away, but it is never too early to look ahead at the high school season. We will be taking a look at some quick hitters, the top player(s), a potential breakout player, other roster members, and more for the upcoming season. For today's spotlight, we take a look at the Southport Cardinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quick Hitters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Went 12-12 last season.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lost to Franklin Central in Sectionals.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Head Coach Ben Rhodes returns for his 2nd year as head coach. He is 89-55<strong>&nbsp;</strong>as a head coach.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Will compete for Sectional 12 Championship</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Player: [player_tooltip player_id='2252551' first='James' last='Kalala']<a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jahari-miller/"></a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Southport Cardinals return one of the most dominant bigs in the in-state 2026 class in center [player_tooltip player_id='2252551' first='James' last='Kalala']. He led the team last season in both points (10.4) and rebounds (8.1) and looks primed to post consistent double-doubles as a junior. At 6'7, Kalala plays with a relentless motor, bringing elite rebounding, raw athleticism, and toughness in the paint. As his skill set continues to expand, he's positioned for a breakout year as the focal point of Southport's frontcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Key Roster Members</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2046163' first='Malakai' last='Bravard']</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1560984' first='Malik' last='Sims']</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->