By Ken Hansard
The Pittsburg Purple Dragons have won four straight Southeast Kansas League titles. They narrowly missed going to state last season, bowing out to a tough DeSoto squad in the sub-state championship. This season, Keyon’Dre Logan and his teammates have their sights set on going just a little bit farther.
Logan, a junior point guard for the Dragons, put in a ton of time in the off-season, working diligently to improve his game and his leadership skills. When asked about his regimen, Logan responded, “I worked really hard on my strength and on my shot. I pretty much lived in the gym, and I am pretty confident I have progressed a lot. I have hopefully improved my scoring ability. I’ve always been able to score, but I’ve gotten better mentally and stronger physically, so it’s a lot easier to get to the bucket.”
When asked about his personal goals, Logan, as any good leader should, deferred to his teammates, “My personal goal is being a good teammate and making sure my team is involved. I’m looking forward to our team chemistry and how we play overall. As the point guard, I see myself as a leader, a brother, and a mentor for the younger guys.”
It is quite evident that Logan has a penchant for leadership. When asked about his point guard, Dragons’ coach Jordan Woods had this to say, “Key is a great kid and loves the game of basketball. He has put in a lot of work to become a better player, and it should show this year. At the end of the day, you can count on Key to do the right thing, whether it be shooting with a teammate or helping pick up water bottles after practice. The game of basketball is a tool to help with life, and he is taking full advantage of it.”
Keyon’Dre has additional motivation for this season. He is now fully recovered from a broken foot and wants to show that he is back at full speed. And even more importantly, Logan tragically lost his father this past summer. He is committed to working his hardest to honor his father’s memory, and when asked where his love of basketball began, Logan replied emphatically, “My dad. I dedicate everything I do to him!”
When not leading the Dragons on the hardwood, Keyon’Dre is very active in Pittsburg High’s student culture. He is a member of Pittsburg’s branch of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also in the Key Club, the Islander Club, and the Pickleball Club. Logan is a standout in the classroom, as well. He is an Honor Roll student who carries an impressive GPA of 3.31.
As a junior, Keyon’Dre has a lot of time to decide what he would like to do after high school, but one thing is certain – he wants to be around basketball, “I would love to be a coach, a trainer, or even go into sports medicine.” Alternatively, he also is considering a future in welding.
