Jonah Sadler found something he loves to do and he isn’t ready to give it up.

A senior basketball player at Wyandotte, Sadler is a four-year varsity player and a three-year starter for the Bears. He is playing his final high school season with one eye on helping his team win games and the other eye focusing on doing what he needs to do to play at the next level. The good news is that both things go together.

“I hope to play basketball after high school, it’s my favorite thing to do, it’s in my blood,” Sadler said. “I haven’t picked a college yet, but whatever college wants me to play basketball is where I’ll go. All I want is an opportunity and I feel like I am good enough. I just hope I can get a chance to make my family and friends proud.”

He has already made his teammates and coach proud.

“Jonah is a quiet kid but plays very hard,” said Wyandotte Coach Ron Adkins. “He is our leading scorer and speaking captain. He is a great kid, very respected by his peers and very respected by our coaching staff. When he gets hot he is as good as any shooter in our conference.”

Sadler, a guard, was All-League and All News-Herald Boys First-Team last year as a junior after averaging 14 points per game. The Bears won only seven games last season.

This year’s team is much different, despite a slow 2-7 start out of the gate, and despite Sadler dropping 41 points in a season-opening win over Grosse Ile and 30 in a close loss to Huron.

“This year’s group is the closest group I’ve been a part of,” said Sadler, who hopes to top 1,000 points in his high school career. “I’ve been playing with these guys since middle school and we’ve created an unbreakable bond. We all have the same goals and vision, including holding up the district trophy at the end of the season. That’s what makes our team strong – we all know what we want and we go to war together for it.”

Jonah, 18, is the son of Tammy and Jimmie Sadler and dribbles to a 3.7 GPA in the classroom.

He started playing basketball because “basketball was a cycle in my family”.

“I have four older brothers who all played basketball, but my two brothers Jobe and John are the reason I started playing,” Sadler said. “Watching my brothers blossom into the sport they loved playing gave me inspiration to be just like them. I play for them. I want to prove to my family that I won’t quit and that I will succeed.”

Sadler has some advice to pass along to younger players who are discovering a love of basketball.

“Young kids starting out playing basketball should watch the game,” he said. “Every kid should spend some time watching basketball games, whether it’s high school, college or the NBA. To learn the game, you have to watch and study. It’s an important aspect in starting out. I’ve watched basketball my whole life and it’s an important learning tool but also an inspiration tool. Watching those big guys play you end up telling yourself, ‘I wanna be just like them.’”

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