Jake Doan emerges as top scoring threat for Cedar Creek

Last season, Jake Doan didn’t make the Cedar Creek varsity boys basketball team.

His shot was flat, he had turnover issues, and he lacked the physical build necessary to play varsity minutes. He knew change was necessary if he wanted this year’s tryout to go differently.

Safe to say he’s taken a step forward and then some, not only earning a spot on the Cougars’ roster, but leading the team in scoring through 10 games with a deadly three-point shot and a work ethic that is unmatched, according to Creek head coach Lance Waldron.

“He gets better every day,” Waldron said of Doan. “He stays with a basketball in his hand more than anybody I’ve seen. He doesn’t take any breaks. He really doesn’t. He’s working out somewhere all the time, no matter if it’s a game day, after a game, before a game. The grind doesn’t stop.”

Doan scored a career-high 34 points in Creek’s win over Calvin on Monday, hitting 4 three-pointers on the night. It’s one example in what’s been a string of hot shooting performances from Doan, who’s hit 13 threes over his last three games.

“My teammates are finding me open, driving and kicking,” Doan said. “I changed my shot to get more arc on it and get my elbow below my head and that’s helped a lot in getting my shots down. But my teammates feed me open mostly with how they drive and kick.”

But that didn’t come by accident. Doan’s summer training, lifting, and learning within the game developed him into a balanced scorer — fixing his three-point shot while getting stronger at crashing to the rim for layups. He added some muscle as well for good measure.

Waiting for a shot to fall in his lap wasn’t in Doan’s makeup. It’s why he and Waldron get along as well as they do, with both approaching the game with a mindset that there’s always room to improve.

“It feels good, but I’m not satisfied yet. I want to win. I want to get more wins,” Doan said. “Coach Waldron, he’s not satisfied either and always wants us to get better every day in practice. He’s always pushing us to do more and be better, and that helps us a lot.”

Doan wants to develop his offense inside the paint more as the season goes on as well and not be boxed in as a three-point specialist or catch-and-shoot weapon that opponents feel they can contain with simple defense.

But Waldron feels he’s already made big strides in that area and said Doan’s feeling that he has room to grow shows why he’s made the most of his second chance this season.

“He’s already doing a better job inside, and he can take it to the rim, and he’s been doing that as the season goes on,” Waldron said. “He’s getting better every day. He’s just fun to coach. He’s a coach’s dream.”