When the Kendrick boys basketball team needed a senior leader on Tuesday night against Jordan, Christian Bradford stepped up.

The senior scored 25 points, including 10 in the final five and a half minutes, to help the Cherokees win 92-88 to take sole possession of first place in Region 5-AA.

It’s a giant leap from where they were just a couple of weeks ago.

“We’re in a position to control our own destiny,” Bradford said.

Of course, he’s been working a long time to become the leader that Kendrick needs.

He started playing when he was 3 or 4 years old, but joined his first team when he was 5.

Pressed for what drew him to the game, he couldn’t really explain it.

“It’s just a game that I grew up to love,” he said. “Just everything about it. I love to compete.”

He’s doing a good job of that lately, as Kendrick has won four of its last five games to surge to a 4-1 record in the region, though it has just six wins over all.

Bradford said that for himself and his team the sky is the limit.

“I’m not limited to any one thing,” he said. “I can do a lot. So can my team, which helps.”

He did say that he thinks he needs to improve his defense.

“That’s something we’re always focusing on,” he said.

If he can do that and continue to improve all around, he’d like a chance to play at the next level. He plans on attending college, though he’s not sure where yet. If basketball is in the cards, the great. If not, he knows it just wasn’t meant to be.

For now, though, he’d just like to see his team continue to improve and compete in the region and beyond this season.

Senior Spotlight

Favorite sport (other than basketball): Football

Favorite football team: New England Patriots

Favorite movie: Love and Basketball (He laughs. Of course it’s basketball.)

Favorite TV show: SportsCenter (He laughs again. Sports television is no surprise.)