How an Augusta area basketball team's signing class prepared the program for future success

Toward the end of April, coach Cervantes Boddy beamed with pride as he looked at a crowded scorers table pulled out into the center of the Butler High School gymnasium.

That’s because four of the five players who sat there — Kedar Bodie, Chance Finklin, Kendrell Glanton and Elijah Martinez — were not only getting ready to graduate, but were celebrating signing letters of intent to play college basketball at various schools.

On that day, Bodie officially signed with South Georgia Tech, Finklin with Denmark Tech, Glanton inked to East Georgia and Martinez to Warren Willson College. A fifth player, girls standout Jamesha Slater, pledged to Greensboro College.

Boddy calls his four senior signees his “day ones” — players who helped the Bulldogs compile a 69-24 record over the last four years, never finishing lower than second in the Region 2-AA standings and almost making it all the way to the promised land this past season while coming up just short of a state championship, falling to Westside in the Class AA final.

The best in the city come to him: Darrin Shine is becoming a respected name in Augusta's basketball scene. Here's why

Who will succeed Bailey at Josey?: The night Jawan Bailey proposed to his wife was Josey basketball's turning point. Here's why

But more than the scholarship signings, Boddy said the success of his latest crop of seniors shows something even deeper — loyalty and a commitment to Butler basketball excellence that’s paving the way for future Bulldogs.

“It was a very special moment for those guys,” Boddy said. “And, yes, those are my day one guys. They came straight out of middle school, played in championship games every year since they’ve been here. They got in their books. They did it the Butler way, and that’s what happens when you do it the Butler way. You get payoffs.”

When Boddy talks about “the Butler way,” he’s specifically referring to the simple but consistent formula that has made Butler a mainstay championship contender during Boddy’s 13-year tenure at the school.

“It’s just trying to, first and foremost, make sure the kids we have are good people,” Boddy said. “You can have talented athletes but be a bad person. And I can’t send you to a college or university if you’re a bad person. Once we know you’re a good person, we’ll work with you to build your body, sharpen your skills. We’ll work to make you a bit more athletic and just give you a chance to play. These guys took advantage of that, understood the process, and have great results moving on to the next level because of that.”

But there’s a second part to the formula.

Despite being a program that’s had just two losing seasons in the last 13 years, Butler players have said, over the course of the past season, that they still feel like an underdog overall. It may be the reason why the Bulldogs are one of the grittiest, blue collar squads in an already gritty, blue collar city.

Augusta coaches becoming attractive: Cheney: Jawan Bailey made Augusta hoops better. Here are coaches who will shape the future

On that late April signing day, several players donned black and gold shirts that had the schools unofficial nickname, “The Lump” written on them. It’s blue collar sounding name that embodies the kind of attitude players at Butler have to have in order to succeed. Boddy knows there are inherent challenges with being a student-athlete at the school, so he doesn’t take it lightly when athletes he coaches choose to stick and stay the entire time.

“I’m at the helm of it, so I see the inner workings of it, and I know it’s not easy here,” he said. “There are a lot of hard things to endure in order to play here. There’s heightened levels of responsibility, accountability and discipline you need to have in order to succeed here. They all could’ve went elsewhere, but they remained loyal to us, so we remain loyal to them.”

Boddy lauded Bodie for the maturity he demonstrated over the last four years. He took pleasure in watching Glanton emerge from a “shy, timid ninth grader” to one of Class AA’s best scorers. He praised Finklin for his consistency and Martinez for his “energy, effort and fearlessness.”

All of these characteristics, Boddy says, made his graduating class ideal role models, and the up-and-coming Bulldogs have been watching.

As it stands today, when Butler tips off the 2022-23 season, it will be one of the youngest teams in Class AA.

“We’re pulling up with just one senior next year, and that’s Zy'Quan Grant,” Boddy said. “A lot of people are familiar with him because of what he’s already done.”

Grant’s steady, if not flashy, point guard play helped Butler (22-7, 14-0) to a state and region runner up finish as the Bulldogs lost both championship games to city rival Westside.

Being the most experienced returner on the roster next season, he’ll likely be counted on for a heavier scoring load. But players such as rising juniors Roosevelt Brown and Willie Taylor and rising sophomore like 6-foot-6 forward Cedric Schofield and 5-foot-10 guard Marcus Scurry are going to ensure that Butler will remain in the hunt.

“We should have just as much talent next year as we did this year,” Boddy said. “They’ll be young, but we’ll have them ready.”

As for the ones responsible for laying the foundation for that emerging group, Boddy says he expects each of them to achieve at high levels at their respective colleges.

“With the same work ethic, and with what they’re going to take away from this program, I believe all of these guys can be all conference easily, some better,” he said. “And in a couple of years, I think we’ll have some guys who will be ready to follow in their footsteps.”

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Butler basketball signees lay foundation for future standouts