Columbus North’s Judah Lewis, left, prepares to shoot over Terre Haute North’s Kavish Reddy during a high school basketball game at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Judah Lewis got off to such a fast start to begin the boys basketball season at the JV level that it caught the attention of the Bull Dogs varsity coach Paul Ferguson.
It didn’t take long for the Columbus North freshman to get some minutes in the varsity rotation. Lewis has made most of the opportunity thus far. He’ll look to develop on consistency in order to be a mainstay in the varsity rotation for the rest of the season.
Lewis had conversations with Ferguson about putting in the work in order to get more varsity minutes. Lewis listened.
“I took that in mind, and I started working harder and getting to the gym earlier, first one here and last one to leave,” Lewis said.
Lewis let his performance on the court speak for itself. In the first few games at the JV level, he exploded for some 20-plus point games. His big breakout on varsity came in the Dec. 15 game against crosstown rival Columbus East when the team became shorthanded due to injuries early in the game. Even though he only had two points, it was the first game he played meaningful minutes.
“Of course, I’m going to be nervous because I’m a freshman, but I feel like I’ve always worked hard for this type of moment. I was happy for myself,” Lewis said.
Lewis had his moment during the Batesville Tournament when he drained three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish with 12 points in helping them defeat the host school.
Lewis had another strong performance against Terre Haute North, finishing with a team-high 13 points in a loss to the Patriots. On Friday, he scored 11 points in a win at Mooresville.
“I tell our guys all the time that playing time is earned, and Judah has earned himself an opportunity,” Ferguson said. “When we had some varsity players go down, some more playing time opened up. He’s stepped into that in the Batesville Tournament and gave us some great minutes. He really proved his ability to play at the varsity level.”
Lewis, who is averaging 6.3 points in his eight games for the 4-7 Bull Dogs, has had ups and downs during his short stint in the lineup, but he is working to build consistency to become a cog in the rotation.
“All the coaches could tell I was nervous to shoot the ball, and they brought me in one day. They wanted me to play my game because I’m an instinctive player,” Lewis said. “They said to not be afraid to shoot the ball. If I make a mistake, go on to the next play, so I took that to mind. When I started playing like me out there, it took me to good places.”
Lewis has embraced the role so far, and Ferguson said a factor that helps Lewis is his ability to be coachable.
“Like all great athletes, he wants to be coached and he wants to get better,” Ferguson said. “He’s not afraid to ask questions. If he doesn’t understand something, he’ll tell you. He’s really coachable, and passionate and wants to be a good player.”
With Lewis being a part of the rotation going forward, the rest of his teammates are behind him in adding another piece to the lineup.
“Everybody loves Judah. He’s a great kid. He has an awesome personality. He’s an excellent teammate,” Ferguson said. “They see what is happening at practice and they’ve watched him in games. They’re supportive because they know he’s earned himself an opportunity.”
