McCory
MEDORA — A semiprofessional basketball team played its first home game ever back in 2020 in this small southwestern Jackson County town of less than 700 people.
The goal of the Southern Indiana Timberjacks was and still is to extend the careers — and dreams — of basketball players hoping to make it to the big time.
Perhaps no one at the time could have seen it coming, but the team — now known as the Medora Timberjacks — is helping some Medora High School students pursue some of their own dreams.
Senior Braxton McCory, who plans to pursue a degree in sports management and statistics, is just one example.
But first things first, as McCory must wrap up his high school days. That will happen at 7:30 p.m. Friday when he and his 12 classmates will receive diplomas during the school’s 127th commencement in the gymnasium where the Timberjacks play.
McCory spent the past four years playing in that gymnasium for the Medora Hornets, and being on the court was one of the highlights of the class valedictorian’s four years at the school.
The 18-year-old said the kind of degree he plans to earn at either the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville or Indiana University Southeast in New Albany will be broad enough for a lot of job possibilities.
“I help with the Timberjacks now, so that’s a good start for interning,” he said.
McCory, the son of Mike and Vickie McCory, has been working with the Timberjacks for three years now. It doesn’t hurt his cause that his high school coach, Mark Morin, also coaches the Timberjacks.
He started out keeping statistics, but he will be helping with recruiting players and doing scouting reports. That means watching a lot of film and going to games of other teams in The Basketball League. The Timberjacks are presently first with a 15-7 record in the Lower Midwest Division of the 48-team TBL.
“I would pretty much just like to move up and be a coach, GM (general manager) or something else,” McCory said.
He said there were a lot of ups and downs in his 13 years as a student at Medora.
McCory said graduation always seemed like it was a long way away.
“But we’re here finally,” he said.
McCory said he is going to miss his classmates, but he’s sure they will stay in touch.
“Everybody knows everybody,” he said of attending one of the state’s smallest schools. “That can be good or bad, I guess, but for the most part, it is good.”
It makes it easy to communicate with everybody, including the teachers, unlike bigger schools, McCory said.
Besides basketball, he said two of his other favorite things about high school were the advanced physical education and community service classes.
McCory said in the latter class, students would help the janitor, take out recycling and complete projects to help the community.
Commencement Friday night will begin with the National Anthem, followed by the processional and the Pledge of Allegiance led by senior Jayden Brown.
McCory will give the senior welcome, followed by Salutatorian Evan Hatfield giving his address.
In one of his last acts as a senior, McCory will then give the valedictorian’s address, followed by Joe Campbell, president of the school board, giving his address. Principal Kara Hunt will then present the class to Superintendent Roger Bane before he hands out the diplomas.
McCory will then lead in the turning of the tassels before the recessional.
If you go
What: Medora High School graduation
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Gymnasium at Medora High School, 82 S. George St., Medora
Who: 13 members of the Class of 2023