As the Cheshire Phoenix have stormed to the top of the North Group in Super League Basketball Trophy action, there are plenty of positives for Head Coach Ben Thomas and the Nix Nation to reflect on.
Chief among which for many, and what has certainly caught the eye of the wider British basketball community, has been the absolute explosion of production that has come from second year pro, Cam Holden.
The 6’5” American’s early season form has been nothing short of incredible, ranking in the top ten league-wide for points, assists and steals. We caught up with the 24-year-old to discuss his sophomore season with the Phoenix.
“I’ve worked all summer to improve my game and my body,” Holden said.
“We lost a bunch of guys from last year who had big roles in the team and I knew going into the summer that I was capable of filling those spots, but that I needed to put in the work to be ready.
“My first time playing off the ball and not being an important piece of the offence was last year. I was a defence-first player for this group last season and I still take a lot of pride in that side of my game now, but this year I’ve got more of a role on offence and the opportunity to help my teammates get better shots on that end of the floor.
“I enjoy passing the ball much more than I do scoring. I’m not somebody that is going to chase 40-point games, I’d rather get my teammates good looks and have us all contributing so if that means I get zero points and 10 or 20 assists I’m happy.
“I wanted to be a guy that Ben [Thomas] trusts down the stretch this season and step up to take some of the responsibility that others left behind, so he told me I’ve got to show him how much I want it and hopefully I’m doing that.”
Hard work paying off
Purely from a statistical standpoint, the growth in Holden’s game has been remarkable. He’s scoring 11 more points per game so far this season than he did last year (16.7ppg), bringing down twice as many boards (6.3rpg) and delivering double the assists (5.2apg).
One of Holden’s primary frustrations from his rookie season was a recurring injury that hampered his progress with the Phoenix, but having spent the off-season working on several facets of his game, the youngster talked about why the experience he gained during his recovery was valuable to him and how it has led to these improved performances.
“I had a bad groin injury last year, which sat me down on the bench for a long time, but it also helped me because I got to watch the game from a different perspective and cheer my guys on.
“Some guys get in dark spots from sitting on the bench, but I’ve never had the opportunity to sit and watch because you can’t or don’t get to play, so the injury gave me that chance to learn how physical the pro game is, learn the league from a different angle and figure out how can I score? How can I be better? What do I need to work on this summer?
“Everything I did this summer is coming to light and a lot of people are asking me what I did this off-season but the truth is I worked on everything and it’s a big part of why I signed back here because I felt like I had something to prove to people who counted me out after last year.
“I enjoy the villain role. I’m not going to hide from it. I love being the bad guy on the court that has other teams saying ‘I can’t stand Cam Holden’. I feed off that hate and it really gets me going. I’m a friendly, cool guy off the court with everybody but once I cross that line it’s me and my teammates against everybody, and that’s how I like it.”
😤 CAM-TO-CAM! 🔥
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Family business
With basketball very much in the blood – Holden was coached by his father growing up and his older sister was a prolific collegiate hooper – the American had a great grounding in the game and reflected on the lessons learned and qualities developed as a result of his time spent learning the game with his family.
“My dad coached me for his team from when I was five. He was hard on me, he didn’t let me run with the ball and unlike most parents who wanted their kids to be guards, he wanted me to be a post player so that’s what he taught me from day one.
“Now I’m older people are shocked to see a 6’5” guy with a running hook shot and handles, but that’s down to him because he taught me that way of playing from a young age. My older sister was also a great player in college and particularly in the post, so I learnt a lot from her too.
“My dad gave me the blueprint and now I have a unique skillset because he wanted me to play the right way from a young age. My sister is 5’8” but led her college in offensive rebounding… so she played hard and I took that from her and it definitely made me better.”
A home from home
From a close-knit community in the state of Georgia, it’s no wonder Holden has found home comforts in Ellesmere Port, where the Nix Nation take each member of the team in as one of their own.
Comparing his current surroundings to his hometown of Forsyth, which has a population of just under 5,000 people, the 24-year-old discussed how the similarities between the two drew him back to Cheshire for another season, and the impact he hopes he can have on both communities in the longer term.
“I grew up in a small town and when I say small, I feel like I know everybody that lives there. We have one high school, it isn’t a big basketball town, and we have two pros – myself and a woman called Keke Calloway who plays in EuroCup – so between us we hold the weight of the sport on us, if you like.
“When I’m done playing I want to go back there, coach kids and give back to the town that has shown so much love to me. Hopefully I can have that same impact here in Cheshire too, where I’m remembered for being a great player and bringing a lot to the team and the community.
“A big part of why I came back here is because of how much it felt like home. We are a smaller community, but everybody knows everybody and we’ve all got each other’s backs, so I love that culture the club has and I’m big on having a relationship with people on and off the court.”