Clayton Garrison was a breakout player as an immediate impact freshman two years ago, but has flown under the radar in many SWMO basketball circles.
Still feeling relatively anonymous, the Chadwick junior forward is doing everything he can to get the word out about his elevated all-around game.
“Going to places, people don't really know who I am,” Garrison said. “I come into every gym wanting people to know who I am.”
Garrison no doubt has attracted attention the past couple of weeks on his way to joining the Cardinals’ 1,000-point club.
He opened the season with a 41-point, 19-rebound performance against Galena.
“He was phenomenal against Galena,” Chadwick coach Shaun Guerin said.
Garrison led the Class 1 Cardinals to a victory versus Class 4 Aurora at the Clever Invite by scoring 30 points.
He entered Chadwick’s trip to Bradleyville on Monday needing 38 points to get to 1,000 and promptly netted 38 points.
“I feel more confident in myself this season, being a leader and stepping up big-time,” Garrison said.
Garrison absolutely wow’d the crowd at Bradleyville with four 3-point goals and five dunks.
“People are starting to know me,” he said.
“(Word) is getting out quick,” Guerin said. “Coaches know about him.”
Garrison was an All-Mark Twain Conference Second-Team selection as a freshman and a First-Team pick as a sophomore.
Chadwick’s rural setting is one reason Garrison's name isn't mentioned when fans discuss SWMO's premier players. When he plays summer ball for Standout Prep out of Springfield, he gets numerous questions about where he is from. Among his Standout Prep teammates are Mansfield’s Landen Campbell and Hartville’s Jalon Cryer.
“They don't know where Chadwick is,” he said. “I tell them it's way out in the middle of nowhere.”
Sadly, Garrison and the Cardinals aren't scheduled to face off against neighboring Sparta and Jake Lafferty. But Chadwick is playing an upgraded schedule that will help shine light on the Cardinals.
Chadwick (4-1) will be in the Queen City Shootout in Springfield on Dec. 15 against Lutheran North, last season’s Class 3 runner-up. The Cardinals will play Hartville twice, play in the Mountain View-Liberty Shootout and take part in the Pleasant Hope Tournament and Stockton Tournament.
