The Morgan County boys basketball team had one of its better seasons in recent memory last year.
The Dogs finished their 2024-25 campaign with a 22-7 overall record, including a 10-0 mark in region play. They also won a region title and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in six years.
Morgan County head coach Cody Anderson, now in his fourth season, is working to restore the program to its former prominence. Not long before his tenure started, the Dogs won three state championships in six years.
“We’ve worked really hard the last four years at reestablishing a foundation, one that we can build Morgan County on with Morgan County kids and families,” Anderson said.
Anderson and his players are ready to take the next step in 2025-26, after graduating only a few seniors this past May. The Dogs returned a good chunk of their production from last season’s region championship team.
Seniors Zeki Locus and Jacoby Simmons are back, along with classmates Kobi Jefferies and Jamir Pittman.
Locus and Simmons are three-year starters who played football this past fall and weren’t with the team for its first four games. So, Anderson was happy the juniors got some extra minutes at the start of the year.
“We’ve got contributors in every class,” Anderson said. “Our junior class consists of King Hardy, Gavin Williams, SJ Odoms, and Scooter Lundy. They’re a class that has really carved out their space. I think they’ve benefited from the extra time and increased role, where they got to experiment a little bit and play more minutes. All four have had really bright moments.”
Anderson is also excited about sophomores Dreylon Brown and Garrett Ward. He’s really high on Ward, who was an All-Region player as a freshman last year.
“Our sophomore class is really strong and has had a lot of guys step up, but that group is obviously led by Garrett Ward, who was an All-Region player as a freshman and has worked really hard,” Anderson said. “(Garrett) was sidelined for most of the preseason and our first couple of games with an ankle injury, but is back and healthy and has played well.”
Anderson also mentioned that Brown has been the team’s “biggest bright spot” so far this season.
“There is going to be Morgan County basketball after Zeki and Jacoby graduate. They’ve run the point guard position ever since I’ve been here,” Anderson said. “Dreylon is the next point guard for us. He was a young guy who played some varsity minutes last year as a freshman and had a great offseason. He has a great feel for the game. He’s been a scorer by trade his whole life, but that’s not the role we need him in right now, and instead of getting upset about that, he’s been a facilitator for us. His play has been exceptional, and I expect that to continue.”
Freshman Trey Carter, a 6-foot-2 guard, has also already made an impression on Morgan County’s head coach.
“Trey has impressed and earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his humility, work ethic, and how you can coach him,” Anderson said. “We’ve got guys in our program who don’t always want to be coached or don’t always receive coaching the right way, but to have a guy as talented as Trey, it’s been good. He’s shown early on that he’s going to have a successful career here as long as he continues to work.”
The Dogs have all the tools to succeed this season in Anderson’s fourth year at the helm.
Their goals include winning 20 or more games, repeating as region champions, and advancing to the third round of the playoffs.
“The process has not been a straight line to the top, but I’ve seen progress every year, so it’s nice when things come together,” Anderson said. “We’ve been young since I’ve been here, and that group has grown up.”