Class 3A’s Ervin is a terrific “gym rat”
Tanner Ervin has had the type of high school basketball career few can only dream about. The senior guard led the Cougars to the Class 2A title game each of the past two seasons, and now has undefeated Resurrection Christian (22-0, 10-0 Patriot) on track toward another championship appearance in the program’s first season in Class 3A.
Plus, the scoring sensation passed D’Evelyn’s Luke Stratman for most career 3-pointers in state history in the team’s opening playoff triumph over Valley on Tuesday. Ervin now has 332 3-pointers as he leads the Cougars into regional play this week.
Yet for all Ervin has accomplished in his storied prep career at Resurrection Christian, the ultimate validation — a.k.a. a gold ball as well as an opportunity to play at the next level — continues to elude him.
“We know he doesn’t pass the eye test right now. He’s a small kid (5foot-11) and just doesn’t look like a Division I player,” seventh-year Resurrection Christian coach Bruce Dick said. “What I would say is to come watch him for a week in practice and visualize what he’s going to be like as a 20 year old. Whoever gets him is going to get a terrific player.”
Ervin, who’s ranked fourth overall in the state averaging 27.0 points per game, has drawn interest from the University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University-Pueblo and an array of junior colleges, but hasn’t landed any tangible offers just yet.
“I’ve just got to keep playing my game,” Ervin said. “Personally I believe I can play at any of those levels, but obviously it’s going to come down to a coach taking a chance on me. I don’t have the biggest body frame and they’ll look down on that, but I put all that aside when I play.”
Headlined by Ervin, senior guard Mike Stevenson, freshman guard Isaac Jessup, senior guard Conner Stahla and senior forward Josh Perl rounding out the starting lineup, the Cougars have been rolling. They’re putting up 86.7 points per game and 15 of their wins have come by 20 points or more.
“We have a group of seniors who are highly motivated, but they’ve also embraced younger guys too with our two freshman that are big contributors,” Dick said. “They’ve created a great bond and chemistry that is just so important for a basketball program.”
And with Ervin’s efforts to balance out his game over the past year — he’s now a legitimate threat to drive to the basket, and his continuously improving court vision has him averaging nearly four assists — Dick likes his championship chances again.
“He’s a guy who’s put up a lot of shots in the gym since he’s been a little kid,” Dick said. “He loves being a gym rat, and what’s helped him so much this year is his ability to get to the basket and to get to the line a lot. He can basically score from anywhere on the floor.”
But while having the all-time 3point record is nice, all Ervin cares about at this point is cutting down the nets. And, perhaps, individual opportunities that could stem from that.
“Those are the kind of things you dream about as a kid — breaking records and everyone knowing your name,” Ervin said. “But the biggest thing is we’ve got to win more games all the way to the last one at state. That’s all I’m concerned with right now.”