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Fox an unsung hero for Wildcats

Haden Fox doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves, but Pendleton County coach Ryan Lambert says the senior power forward puts in the work to keep the team winning.

“He’s not the star,” Lambert said. “He’s the role player that does all the dirty work that often goes unnoticed. When it comes to wins and losses, he’s just as responsible as the leading scorer.”

Lambert describes Fox as a tenacious defender. He said Fox is a big reason the Wildcats have a 16-4 record.

“He spearheads our defense,” Lambert said. “He’s like a general on defense. He’s always communicating and making sure the guys know where to go. His assignment is the opponent’s best post player. We’ve held a lot of teams under 40 points and he’s a big reason for that. We’ve been able to hang our hats on our defense all year.”

According to Lambert, Fox has worked diligently in the weight room during the offseason and it’s paying off on the court.

“He’s maxed out his potential because of his hard work,” Lambert said. “He’s got a tremendous work ethic. From working so hard, he’s gone from being just a guy on the team to being a major contributor on both sides of the court.”

So far this season, Fox is averaging eight points and eight rebounds per game.

“He really makes his presence felt on the post,” Lambert said. “If we see a mismatch on the floor, he’s the guy we are going to try to exploit on the post. He’s become a very cerebral player. He’s really embraced his role and knows what’s expected.”

Aside from contributing on the court, Fox is also instrumental in providing leadership to the younger players.

“He’s a terrific leader,” Lambert said. “We have a handful of younger players and he’s played a big role in mentoring them. They look up to him and he does a good job of teaching them our system.”

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