Jared Yoder - 2007
#5 - Jared Yoder
Jared Yoder
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A KEY FORESTER
Senior Jared Yoder has been the starting point guard the past two seasons for the Foresters, and during this period of time, Yoder has been the cornerstone for the success of the HU basketball program.
Jared will leave HU having racked up 552 points, but more importantly, 415 assists. 201 of those assists came just this season. He scored 10 or more points in 10 games this year, including a 17-point game (with 5 three-pointers) at Indiana Wesleyan.
In his senior year, Jared led the team and the MCC Conference with 5.91 assists per game and an assist/turnover ratio of 2.64. Both stats were #6 in the entire NAIA. Jared came close to the NAIA record of 18 assists in a game when he provided 15 assists last season in the Forester win over Evangel in the NAIA National Tournament.
He might also have been the MCC three- point field goal percentage leader but he didn’t take enough shots. Jared made 38 of 77 three-point attempts this season for 49.4%. That would have been tops in the MCC, but official stats require 1.5 three- pointers made per game. (Jared’s stats resulted in 1.12 three-pointers per game.)
GETTING STARTED
Yoder started out his basketball career with his two brothers, Derek (former HU star) and Justin (current Westview HS star). They put up an old hoop in the basement of their house and played countless hours of basketball down there.
Organized (AAU) basketball started in the third grade. Because Jared’s Dad was part of the Westview program (currently the JV coach), the three boys had easy access to the gym at an early age. "My brothers and I would spend hours upon hours in the gym playing and working out," says Jared.
The Westview Warrior program, of which Jared was a part, is well known for its rich winning tradition and perhaps that was another reason Jared wanted to play at HU.
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"I really enjoy playing in front of fans that are faithful to their team and who love to go crazy about basketball," says Yoder.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Jared has always had the support of his family. I remember Jared’s parents (Roger and Jolene) coming to Huntington on a Sunday afternoon last season to help Jared work out. His Dad was rebounding and giving outlet passes, while his Mom was following Jared around the perimeter giving him a defensive hand to shoot over. Commitment and dedication like this is what the Yoder family is about, and Jared gives lots of credit to his parents.
"My parents have been a positive influence for me and my brothers," he says. "They have been good role models to follow and they set a good example for us. They have always been there for me and they will do anything for me. They have brought me up in a good Christian home," Jared added.
It doesn’t matter where the game is or how many cows need to be milked, one or both of his parents were always at the games.
HEADING TO HUNTINGTON
At Westview HS, Jared played varsity three years, helping his team win the Northeast Corner Conference tournament as a junior. Jared was a standout athlete in both basketball and tennis, leading the Warriors to four tennis sectional championships. He was three-time All-NCC in tennis.
Jared was partial to Huntington because of his older brother Derek, and the successes that he had with the program and Coach Platt. Jared originally intended on playing both tennis and basketball at HU, but after breaking a wrist in his freshman year he decided to concentrate on basketball.
Over the past four years, Jared and the Foresters have won two MCC Conference Tournaments, three MCC Conference Titles, and made four NAIA national tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish at the NAIA National Tournament in 2006.
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