Cobden boys’ basketball coming off 18-0 season

The Cobden High School boys’ basketball team fiished with an 18-0 record and was the No. 1 rated team in Class 1A in the COVID-19 shortened season with no state playoffs earlier this year.

Three starters were lost off that team, but head Cobden coach Wendell Wheeler is optimistic this season.

“We have two starters back and we will build off that,” Wheeler said. “We got some good size returning. We know everyone will be trying to pressure us with this size.”

Two of the starters returning are the size the coach is referring to. Senior Elliott Lowndes is a 6-11 center and junior Tyler Franklin is a 6-6 forward.

Other seniors expected to contribute are 6-2 forward Cooper Flamm, 6-0 guard Brock Reynolds, 6-0 forward Edwin Funes and 6-2 forward Kevin Webb.

The lone sophomore is 6-0 forward Jett Kuhn.

Freshmen are 5-10 guard Tom Coleman, 5-10 guard Aron Funes and 5-11 guard Kohen Moore.

With the Cobden High School gymnasium currently unavailable, there will be no home games. 

Wheeler said that games on the team’s home scheduled will be played at gymnasiums at either Unity Point Elementary School, the high school in Carbondale and at John A. Logan College at Carterville.

The Appleknockers are scheduled to open their season Monday, Nov. 22, in the Vienna Tournament.