(Neola, IA) — Tri Center boys basketball has had a strong start and they hope to keep it going tonight as they host Underwood, coverage on KSOM. Junior AJ Harder is averaging over 19 points a game for the Trojans but he says his role has changed somewhat from last year’s team
Harder ranks 5th in the entire state in assists per game at 8.4 — he and Tyler Baatz provide an impressive 1-2 scoring punch for Tri Center — Baatz is mostly an inside player who is averaging 20.0 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. Harder says its fun playing with him
Harder is competitive in most anything, whether it be a school pickleball tournament, basketball or football where he is the Trojans quarterback that helped the school win a state title in 2024. His Dad Chad Harder is the Boys Basketball Head Coach and his mother Jennifer Harder was a hurdler in high school — they both went to Walnut High. Harder says that’s where he gets his competitive drive and his Dad especially in both football and basketball
Tonight, its a big rivalry as Underwood comes to town. The two schools are only separated by a few miles but Harder knows its not easy each and every night in the WIC
Harder loves both football and basketball and is being recruited by college coaches for both sports — he has not made a final decision on which sport he wants to play.
Tri Center hosts Underwood in a girls boys doubleheader tonight, coverage on KSOM and Western Iowa Today TV.
Complete Interview with Tri Center Junior AJ Harder
