‘He’s a special player’

Cannon Robbins smiles when he’s asked the question.

His ear- to- ear grin popping out under a nest of curly hair, somehow not affected by an hourplus of practice, isn’t coming from a place of pride. His excitement level and gratitude to be back on the court is uncontainable. A smile is warranted.

At this time last year, Robbins was sitting and watching on the bench for the Cedar Creek Cougars. It’s all he could do after the Louisiana High School Athletic Association denied his eligibility request after moving from Ruston High to Cedar Creek ahead of his junior year. He knew the transfer was a risk in potentially losing a whole season of basketball, but he craved a fresh start, a chance to shine, and the opportunity to showcase his talent to lead a team to success. Creek was where he wanted to be.

“We prayed about it a lot,” Robbins said of the move from RHS to Creek. “It was a big choice to sit out my junior year because everyone says that’s the most important year. We just prayed about it a lot and put our trust in God, he had the right path for me.”

The LHSAA said no to his request to play, so Robbins could only offer advice and give good scout-team looks in practice, unable to aid the Cougars on the court as they finished 12-14 in 2023-24 — the second season in a row under .500.

“It was hard, but I just knew that I could help the team out in other ways in practice and whatever I could do,” Robbins said.

But Creek head coach Lance Waldron never saw his sitting star check out or waver from the daily work of getting better. He knew Robbins had gotten used to waiting his turn. One more year wasn’t going to deter his focus.

“He was with us every step of the way even though he wasn’t eligible,” Waldron said. “Even though he couldn’t play, he came to practice and gave us max effort every day just like he was going to suit up. He never let it keep him down. He stayed focused on the future and getting an opportunity to show everybody what he’s got. It’s really paying off for him.”

That’s probably understating what Robbins has brought to the table for the Cougars as they enter Christmas break with their best start (6-2) since 2021 and sitting at No. 7 in the Division IV power ratings.

Robbins is averaging a team- best 23 points with a team- high 28 three-pointers, including five games with at least four three-pointers. He’s shooting 46% from deep as well. For good measure, he also leads Creek in rebounding (6.3) and blocks (1.3). Can he tell when it’s going to be a good night from three-point land?

“Usually, when I’m missing in warmups, that means I’m getting all of my misses out for the game,” Robbins said with another smile.

This is the moment he’s waited for: to be the clear-cut top option on a team that aspires for something more than just a winning record.

It’s why he can’t help but smile when asked what he hoped to show in his debut, and yet final, season for the Cougars.

“I just wanted an opportunity to prove the people that doubted me wrong and show them what I can do and come to Cedar Creek to start a new culture over here. It’s a new culture over here now,” Robbins said. Individual success is enjoyable, but Robbins knows he can’t be the one-man show for the Cougars if team success is going to come. If he’s on the top of every team’s scouting report, he knows he’ll have to work with teammates to put pressure on opponents.

He’s not a ball-dominant guard. He’ll look to pass — currently second on the team in assists per game (3.1). Sometimes he’s too aggressive of pushing pace and launching passes across the court, but the willingness to get others involved could be the difference between Creek having strong topend talent but untested rotational players and a well- rounded bunch capable of a run.

With Robbins wanting to lean on teammates, Waldron has seen the Cougars’ practice standard improve, with each player wanting to maximize his role to ensure Robbins isn’t doing it all.

“In my opinion, he’s first team All-State. He’s doing his part,” Waldron said. “But the other guys that don’t shoot as much and have taken a backseat role when it comes to points, they’re playing their role, whether it be rebounds, steals, taking care of the ball. Everybody is doing what they need to do to help the team win. He’s a major part of it and he’s working his butt off. And the other guys are too. Everybody believes and they’re excited to be a part of it.”

In today’s basketball environment, where highlight reels and oneon- one play drives attention, Robbins is an outlier — a capable scorer who can go between creating his own offense and taking his foot off the gas if he needs to.

Playing alongside experienced players like Jake Terry, Cameron Temple, and Jack Bell helps make the frantic pace of a game easier.

“I just like to trust my teammates, not having to put everything on my back every play. I can trust Jake, Jack, Cameron, all of them. They help out a lot,” Robbins said. “It’s not a one-man game. It’s a team game. If I have my head down, they lift me up. If they have their head down, I lift them up.”

Cedar Creek is going to find out how good it can be as soon as it returns from break, with matchups against No. 16 West Ouachita (12-5), No. 7 Beekman Charter (7-4), No. 5 Castor (11-3), and No. 12 Saline (8-9).

But Robbins and the Cougars aren’t running from anybody. Not anymore. Creek basketball has a different attitude when it walks in a gym now. Being satisfied with finishing close to good teams is a thing of the past.

With Robbins in the fold leading the way, unafraid to say how far he thinks the Cougars can go, Creek’s 2024-25 season may have something memorable on the horizon.

“I definitely want to bring something back to this school, whether it’s the best record we’ve ever had, deepest playoff run, state championship. That’s the goal,” Robbins said. “We’ll take it step by step and see where we go.”