Cookeville senior Brody Parsons is stepping into a role he never expected, and one he said he is fully embracing.
As the only senior on the Cavaliers’ basketball roster this season, Parsons said his focus is simple: Do everything possible to help Cookeville win.
A small forward and power forward, Parsons said he believes Cookeville is built to surprise people again, just as it did last year.
“Anything’s possible.” Parsons said. “Last year, we made it pretty far, not as far as we wanted, but we made it a lot farther than other people thought we would. And we’re kind of playing with the same roles this year.”
Parsons contributed throughout Cookeville’s postseason run a year ago, but he said one moment stands above the rest. In the Cavaliers’ first regional game against Oakland, Parsons poured in nine points, including a buzzer-beater, to help Cookeville advance.
Before committing to basketball, Parsons spent time on the football field. Parsons said he ultimately stepped away from the sport to put all of his energy into basketball, which he said helped accelerate his growth.
“It helps me take that step forward,” Parsons said. “Being that leader, playing as best as I can really.”
Now, with Cookeville returning much of last season’s core, Parsons said he hopes to mirror the impact of former Cavalier leader Jaren Davis.
“It’s kind of crazy cause I never thought I’d be a senior here or a senior in high school,” Parsons said.
Parsons played meaningful minutes in several games last season and returns after logging early contributions again this year, including a seven-point performance in Cookeville’s Nov. 22 win over Smith County.
