HERE’S TO COOKE!

In this Basketball world you never know what the final results of a player will eventually be!

Now, of course you can have your can’t miss out of Highschool player who will reach every potential goal anyone has ever seen for him. Then you can have that player who makes up for his deficiencies with straight hard work, tenacity and dedication and with those qualities makes it much further than anyone could have imagined. Last, you can have your sleeper baller that sneaks on the scene and because of his skills and a break here or there becomes a player you never imagined he would be, but fulfills all his basketball dreams. That’s the gamble of being a high level type player with the chance to live out a dream he has worked his entire life for. Some make it and some don’t, but the journey is truly what it’s about! That’s why when a player doesn’t have the chance to finish his journey and destination through no real fault of his own it can be unfair and heartbreaking. It’s why Gardenstatehoops would like to acknowledge and pay homage to former St.Anthony player Hallice Cooke! Cooke who was a top 10 New Jersey player in 2013 committed to Oregon St., before leaving for Iowa St., then landing at the University Of Nevada. Cooke was recently diagnosed with a heart ailment that will prevent him from playing anymore and end his Basketball playing career. As someone who knows this kids love for the game, this had to be devastating news and the sudden abruptness has to be tough on his makeup, as well as the makeup of his family. The good news is he will stay on as a volunteer assistant Coach and still try to get his degree. Cooke will not be able to finish his basketball journey, which ever way it would have ended up. But everyone that plays this game seriously would like to know where their journey will take them and for Cooke not to be able to come to that basketball conclusion is something that should make all the others that are in it to not only appreciate the game, but the journey itself. Gardenstatehoops wishes nothing but the best for Hallice Cooke and his family and who knows, maybe the fork in the road is preparing him for bigger and better things.